Following the recent Nigeria-UK route launch by Air Peace, a Nigerian indigenous carrier, Mr. Allen Oyenma voiced out alleged conspiracy against the airline by competing foreign carriers operating the same route, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today program held on Tuesday, maintaining that it is a deliberate attack to frustrate the airline.
Mr. Oyenma noted that these carriers are deliberately undercutting airfares on the route as part of a scheme to push Air Peace out of international operations, stating that it is an unspoken alliance among foreign airlines.
According to him, these airlines are employing lower pricing strategies intending to force Air Peace off the Nigeria-London route.
“It’s a very devilish conspiracy. All of a sudden, (foreign) airlines are underpricing, below the cost, it’s not up to one month, an airline was advertising $100, another one $305, $350. Fill up the entire aircraft and carry people on the wings, it’s not even enough to buy your fuel. So, why are they doing that? Their governments are supporting them because Nigeria has been a cashcow for everybody.
“Their governments are supporting them to do this and take Air Peace out. The idea is to take Air Peace out and the moment they succeed in taking Air Peace out, Nigerians will pay 20 times over again.” He stated.
He further stated that if the airline is taken out prematurely, it will affect Nigerians as lots of money will be lost, causing a strain on the naira.
Onyema therefore called on other Nigerian airlines to join the Nigeria-UK route to break the monopoly enjoyed by foreign carriers operating into the four major gateway airports of Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.
“I invite other Nigerian airlines to join the fray, let them come, let all of us do international operations. Yes, international aero-politics is very dirty but somebody must pay the price.” He added.
