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Local carriers are returning to their strategy boards to evolve sustainability models that will put them ahead of one another in their bid to enhance market share as passenger traffic surge ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations on major routes.

Exploiting the opportunities thrown up by increasing traffic on major routes, local carriers are acquiring bigger airplanes, opening up new routes, entering into operational/technical partnerships as well seeking endorsements from high net worth individuals to consolidate operations in new markets.

Investigations by The Nation indicate that while passengers are complaining of exorbitant fares on some routes in the country such as Lagos-Abuja-South Eastern routes: Anambra, Ebonyi, Owerri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Asaba and  Benin; some operators are introducing bigger airplanes with moderate fares on routes that are not very busy.

With the recent wet leasing of two Airbus 320-200 by one of the local carriers, with  the capacity of between 150 and 170 passengers, it is  consolidating its pull on some routes.

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Besides equipment choice, another operator that kicked off its operations last week, is using moderate fares to attract passengers on its new routes to lure passengers.

and Logistics Solutions Limited, Amos Akpan, attributed 60 percent of the factors that cause poor on-time performance for domestic operations to what he described as factors outside the management’s control.

 He 40 percent is within the control of the airline which he said the airlines must take advantage of.

He said, “Some factors beyond the operators’ management include limitations of airports to daylight operations, weather minimal limitations, impromptu lack of fuel, delays due to VIP movements, delayed approach to entry/exit in airports due to one runway at busy periods or due to incident on runway and labour unrest.

“Some factors within the management’s control include logistics/coordination of the schedule planning matrix which involves maintenance, flight operations and passenger services, turn-around time at stations and for line maintenance. This requires personnel with experience that think proactively but act within the safety envelope.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Mainstream Cargo Limited, Mr Seyi Adewale said poor on-time performance has real present and future challenges or problems for airlines, stating that this affects the brand equity of these airlines as well as negatively impact on their desired passenger loyalty.

“Significantly, the airline revenues are greatly impacted whereby the affected airline would be unable to meet its revenue targets apart from ‘grave’ customer dissatisfaction or the consequent burning of more aviation fuel whilst trying to make up for lost time caused by the delay.

“Similarly, too, the ground support operations are disrupted and make many ground support companies appear inefficient sometimes, causing tarmac, apron airside incidents or accidents whilst rushing to meet up clashing flight or staff work-plan schedules,” he said.

Adewale observed that the future impact on the airlines in general is that passengers will seek out alternatives wherever feasible during flight delays thereby reducing airline/aviation viability in the long run.

He said, “To compound issues, refunds are mostly difficult to get with some airlines, executing up to 40 days refund policy. Imagine the stress on the passenger who may need to procure another flight due to the urgency needed at the destination.

“This is a very serious and very negative impact on Nigerian aviation sector and the inherent value-chain. There must be strong oversight functions and associate penalties in order to assist the airlines save themselves in the overall interest and sustainability of the aviation sector.”