Domestic carriers on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to increase support to local carriers.
Acting under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria ( AON), the group said supporting the carriers will halt over $3billion lost to capital flight in the country.
The AON listed stiff competition, regulatory technicalities, unfair slot allocation, exorbitant airport charges, levies and fees and other constraints as part of the reasons why local carriers failed to deliver on intercontinental routes.
The AON said unless government supports the carriers, it would be difficult for them to do well on international routes because of the intrigues of international aero–politics which it said is 85 per cent of the role expected of government.
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AON Executive Chairman, Capt Nogie Meggison said many local carriers fail on intercontinental routes due to factors not limited to insufficient support from government.
Urging President Muhammadu Buhari to support indigenous carriers, including Air Peace, which launched flight on the Lagos/ Sharjah/Dubai, he said government should bring its full weight to effectively protect the airline from all forms of aero – politics.
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