Business
Foreign Airline Commits To Remaining Nigeria’s Premium Carrier
An International Airline based in the United States, the Delta Air Lines, has renewed its commitment to remain a premium carrier of choice for Nigeria passengers as air traffic continues to grow across countries after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The airline’s Director of Sales, Incharge of Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Paul Hassenstab, disclosed this during his recent visit to Nigeria alongside some top executives of the Atlanta-based American carrier.
Delta flies to top destinations in Africa and recently marked its 17 years of operating non-stop scheduled flights to Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy.
Flying to over 275 destinations worldwide, the Atlanta-based Sky Team alliance member carried over 200 million passengers in 2023.
According to the Delta sales Director, the US carrier will remain a premium carrier of choice and will not renege from its dedication to the Nigerian community it is serving.
“I think we want to continue to be the premium carrier of choice for Nigeria. That is the commercial side of it. We also want to be committed to the community in Nigeria”, Hassenstab said
While passengers are looking forward to Delta extending its services to key Nigerian cities like Abuja and Port Harcourt, Hassenstab believes Delta’s current priority is to continue to give passengers the best services on the Lagos route.
He said, “Right now, our primary goal is to make our daily service work for us. We love to expand our operations. If you look at Delta, in terms of the wide-body airplanes that we operate, today, we have roughly 165 wide-body aircraft that we deploy to all around the international stations around the world.
“We just placed a new order with Airbus a couple of weeks ago with new A350-900s and 1000s and also A350 Neo which we equally have taken delivery of and I think that will give us the opportunity to expand as the business case in each market but today, our focus is making things work for us”.
Delta Air Lines views competition as a good thing for any market, according to the Sales Director.
United Airlines, which is Delta Air Lines’ close rival on the Nigeria route, flies between Lagos and Washington DC.
Chicago-based United Airlines suspended flights to Nigeria in June 2016 due to a foreign exchange crisis in the country. In December, the US airline resumed flights to join Delta on the Lagos route.
Two Nigerian carriers – Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines, have indicated interest in launching flights to the United States.
Hassenstab, however, stressed that Delta Air has operated uninterrupted flight services into the Nigerian market in the past 17 years, and is not afraid of competition, noting that the Atlanta-based carrier will continue to serve the country’s finest flight services.
“We don’t fear competition, competition makes us better. They make people better”, he said, adding that the US carrier “would continue to build on its next-generation airport experience in its Atlanta hub.
“Delta has built an impressive legacy in its several decades of operations. We are going to be 100 years old next year. We were born in 1925. We look forward to celebrating it. It is a testament to the service. That stands out. We have a model that takes care of customers and that makes customers come back”.
Delta operates the Nigerian route seven times a week, offering 3100 seats, adding that the carrier was committed to renewable fuel as a premium global airline.
“We have shown commitment to Sustainable Aviation Fuel. We have 10 per cent of our fuel consumption to sustainable aviation fuel. In the long term, we are looking at hydrogen power which is much longer term. We are very much committed to reducing carbon emissions by 2050. We will get in there step by step by investing through partnerships”, he added.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
-
Entertainment4 days ago
2Baba’s 20 Years Anniversary Of ‘Face 2 Face’
-
News4 days ago
FG To Pay N130bn As Part Of Gas Supply Debt – Minister
-
Women4 days ago
What Women Should Know In Marriage
-
News4 days ago
FAAC: FG, States, LGs Share N1.208trn Revenue For April
-
Editorial4 days agoTowards Minimum Wage Implementation
-
Entertainment4 days ago
Why I Am Not Ready To Have Kids Yet-Burna Boy
-
News4 days agoMinister Dismisses Allegation Of Misuse Of Pension Fund
-
Social/Kiddies4 days ago
Need To Take Care Of Children Worldwide