Travel News

By  Funmilayo Fabunmi

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, at the Nigeria Air press conference which held on Thursday, revealed that the country’s national carrier is well on its way to being launched.

According to Sirika, Nigeria Air will launch with a shuttle service between Abuja and Lagos, other domestic destination will follow thereafter.

Sirika also revealed that the National Carrier will be launched with three Boeing 737-800 in a configuration very suitable for the Nigerian market.

Sirika is quoted as saying, “The Request for Proposal (l) under the PPP act, governed by ICRC, is completed. After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) owning 5% and ET 49%.

“The consortium has been subject to a due diligence process, after which the contract will be negotiated between the consortium and the FGN, leading to a Full Business Case, which will be expected to be approved Federal Executive Council. We expect this process to take 6-8 weeks.

“An interim Executive Team of highly skilled Aviation Experts has been working since FEB 2022 to set up all the necessary regulatory and industry requirements to launch the National Carrier. All Executives have been approved by NCAA, the Air Transport License has been issued by NCAA, Nigeria Air (after having identified the first three aircraft) will now finalize all necessary Operation Manuals and then go through the inspection and approval process of NCAA.”

The federal government will control five per cent equity while a consortium of MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund will have 46 per cent.

By Abdulkareem Mojeed

Ethiopian Airlines is the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air, the Nigerian government said Friday, as it prepares for the commencement of operations of Nigeria’s new national carrier.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said at a press briefing in Abuja that Nigeria Air will launch with a shuttle service between Abuja and Lagos to establish a new comfortable, reliable and affordable travel between the two major airports and that other domestic destinations will follow thereafter.

Ethiopian Airlines will own 49 per cent equity, the federal government will control five per cent equity, while a consortium of three Nigerian investors (MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund) will have 46 per cent.

“After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and ET 49%,” the statement quoted Mr Sirika as saying.

“National Carrier– Nigeria Air”

Nigeria Air is the nation’s proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in England on July 18, 2018.

The project was suspended two months after it was announced after critics raised concerns over its relevance and sustainability. The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million preliminary cost and $300 million as takeoff cost.

Nigeria’s defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management.

But the Nigerian government dismissed all concerns raised, saying the airline would begin operation before the end of 2018, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to establish a national airline during his 2015 electioneering campaign.

In July, the Federal Executive Council approved the leasing of three aircraft to enable the airline commence operations on a date to be announced soon by the government.

Many Nigerians are still suspicious of the plan to launch a national carrier, partly with public funds, at a time the government is struggling to fund other essential services.

Ongoing preparation

The minister said Nigeria Air is well on its way to being launched with three Boeing 737-800 in a configuration very suitable for the Nigerian market.

“The Request for Proposal (RFP) under the PPP act, governed by ICRC, is completed,” he added.

He said the consortium has been subject to a due diligence process, after which the contract will be negotiated between the consortium and the FGN, leading to a Full Business Case, which will be expected to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

“We expect this process to take 6-8 weeks,” the statement said.

It said an interim executive team of highly skilled aviation experts has been working since February to set up all the necessary regulatory and industry requirements to launch the national carrier.

“All Executives have been approved by NCAA, the Air Transport License has been issued by NCAA, Nigeria Air (after having identified the first three aircraft) will now finalize all necessary Operation Manuals and then go through the inspection and approval process of NCAA,” the statement said.

Seed capital

Mr Sirika explained that the money spent for the launch of Nigeria Air, for all the requirements to establish an AOC and be admitted to starting an airline operation, is well within the 5 per cent capital investment of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

This, he said, will be the overall needed to establish the National Carrier initially for the AOC approval and everything else required by stringent national aviation regulations, as prescribed in the FEC approved Outline Business Case (OBC).

“This OBC is the milestone for the preferred Bidder Consortium and has been met by the submitted business plan of the preferred bidder,” he said.

The Minister said “It is the overall share capital of around $300 million provided by the preferred bidder that will launch Nigeria Air to its full size of 30 aircraft and international operation within the next two years.

“No further FGN funding will be provided above the 5% share capital of the next national Carrier of Nigeria, which was provided to launch Nigeria Air,” Mr Sirika said.

Bidding process

According to the statement, invitation to bid for the ownership of Nigeria Air under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria and overseen by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) was published in the Economist and in several local Nigerian papers on March 5, with a deadline for the Request for Proposal (RFP) set for May 10, but was later extended to June 10.

It said a data room for all the details of Nigeria Air, including the Outline Business Case (OBC) and the financial model, was established by the Transaction Advisor on March 15.

“This data room is a reflection of how transparent the PPP process and the RFP procedure were handled,” it said.

The statement noted that a bidders conference was held online on March 28, with over 100 participants and that over 60 parties requested access to the data room.

On June 10, it said the Ministry received on time one closed bid by the Ethiopian Airline Consortium.

“Few others attempted to submit, but unfortunately could not meet the deadline. Since we did not collect the bids, we are not in a position to say who they are,” the statement said.

The Aviation ministry said the evaluation team for the process comprised 11 experts from ICRC, FMFB & NP, FMA and that the TA met on July 20 and 21, and again on August 1.

It said, “The Ethiopian Airline Consortium bid was formally opened in the presence of a representative of Ethiopian Airlines, checking that all envelopes were closed and sealed at that point, 11am on 20th July, starting with the Technical Bid.”

The Financial Bid was opened, again under the observation of the Ethiopian representative, on July 21, the statement said.

It said all 10 forms, as required by the RFP, were evaluated by the team and that unanimously, the assessment team cleared the Technical Bid, which had a total score of 89 per cent out of 100.

In a further meeting on August 1, the statement said the team assessed the Financial Bid further and graded it with a score of 15 per cent out of 20.

“The Ethiopian Airline Consortium got a combined score (Technical and Financial Bid) of 86.7%,” it added.

The Minister said the Ethiopian Airline Consortium was declared the preferred bidder and that the evaluation team will proceed with the; Due diligence phase (completed for all consortium partners on 15 Sep. 2022); Contract negotiation between the preferred bidder and FGN; Development of the Full Business Case (FBC); Issuance of compliance certificate for the FBC by ICRC and Approval of FBC by FEC.

“We aim to finish this PPP process by mid Nov. 2022,” the minister added.

• VIPs, politicians, others procure armoured SUVs, demand overwhelms dealers

As preparations for the 2023 general elections gain momentum amid a worsening security situation across the country, the demands for bullet-proof Sports Utility Vehicles have increased significantly, findings by The PUNCH have shown.

Investigations by our correspondents over the weekend indicate that Very Important Personalities, top chieftains and candidates of political parties have been procuring customised vehicles that offer special protection in the run-up to the campaigns and elections.

About three weeks ago, there was an attempted assassination of the lawmaker representing the Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

Four persons, including police aides, were killed by gunmen who opened fire on the senator’s convoy at the Enugwu-Ukwu junction, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State while he was on his way to his country home in Nnewi.

The Young Progressives Party senator, who is seeking re-election to the Senate in the 2023 general elections, however, escaped death as he was riding in a bullet-proof SUV.

“If not for the bullet-proof SUV the senator was riding in, he would have been dead by now. We were passing the Enugwu-Ukwu junction when they hit us from all sides,” Ubah’s media assistant, Mr Kameh Ogbonna, reportedly said.

In 2017, Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West, escaped death when unknown gunmen attacked him during a rally in Lokoja. His vehicle was riddled with bullets but he narrowly survived the attack.

But a former special adviser to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, was not so lucky as he was shot dead while on his way to Owerri airport in May 2021.

Apart from ordering armoured vehicles, it was also learnt that politicians were applying for special police protection and procuring other security wares.

The use of armoured vehicles is regulated by the Office of the National Security Adviser but approval or end-user certificate is granted to private individuals who have evidence of a threat to their lives.

Checks indicate that armoured vehicles could be customised with reinforced suspension, run-flat tires, armoured battery, radiator and fuel tank protection as well as fortified doors, ballistic windows and windshield. These are meant to provide maximum protection to occupants of armoured vehicles during an attack.

Suppliers speak
Confirming the increase in orders for armoured vehicles, the President, Armor Max, Mr Mark Burton said his company had been getting orders from clients, noting that sales were very good in March.

Burton, who said his firm had been importing bullet-proof vehicles into Nigeria for the past 20 years, explained that the high demand was inspired by the political season.

Speaking in a telephone interview from the United States, he said, ‘’We are a United States-based company, we have been based in Nigeria for six years now. We have been armouring cars and sending them to Nigeria for 20 years.

“Obviously, with the political season and the unrest (insecurity), there is obviously a high demand. We have been working with government officials, diplomats, senators, and businesses. There are a lot of things that go into armouring (vehicles).

“It depends on the needs. Sometimes, it is for political purposes, other times, it is for church groups that just need transport for their pastors to and from church and their home.’’

According to the American, Armor Max has been undertaking bullet-proof windscreen replacements and other special vehicle servicing, admitting that its profits had increased due to the increased request for its services.

Asked if sales had increased in recent times, Burton said, ‘’Yes, we are making a profit, but right now, we are doing a lot of replacements. There are lots of bullet-proof vehicles in Nigeria, so we are doing lots of servicing; if someone needs a bullet-proof windshield, we do that.

“We armour vehicles and do servicing. We are making a profit in Nigeria; we get constant sales with people asking for upgrades.  Right now, we are working on Jaguars; we do all the Land Cruisers and Prados. In the US, we do Rolls-Royce and Bentley but in Nigeria, we do more of Lexus LX570. In different months, there are different orders or projects.’’

When asked about the categories of his clients and his most profitable month, the businessman stated, ‘’It is hard to know who is placing the orders but our busiest month was in March. March was a crazy time because we were working with a lot of security companies.

“Since March, it’s dropped off a little bit but I see a lot of people before the end of the year wanting to get bullet-proof cars, so we are kind of ramping up (supplies) before the end of the year.’’

Approvals taking time
Burton disclosed that he obtained end-users certificates which enabled him to import the armoured vehicles into the country, adding that the official approval process takes time.

“But we still have products on the ground; it’s just on a case-by-case basis. We make sure we adhere to the local needs in Nigeria. We are trying to make sure the people who need our products get our products.’’

Asked if the insecurity in the country had indirectly benefited his firm, Burton said, ‘’Yes, but we don’t want the world to be unsafe but all we are trying to do is create solutions to different problems.’’

The airline says it is hiring captains and senior cabin crew members.

By Abdulkareem Mojeed

The Nigeria Air Limited has commenced the recruitment of qualified crew members for its operation that is expected to be launched shortly.

The aviation ministry disclosed this in a memo posted on its official Twitter handle on Friday.

“Nigeria Air is now recruiting qualified crew for the following positions: Experienced, and current B737 Captains; Experienced, and Current B737 First Officers; Experienced, and Current B737 Senior Cabin Crew and Cabin Crew Experienced, and Current B737 Engineers (B1/B2 preferred),” the memo noted.

It said the positions are based in Abuja or Lagos and that competitive salaries are offered.

The ministry said an application portal for other open positions will be available shortly on the website; www.nigeriaair.world.

Qualified candidates are required to forward their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) to [email protected]

“However, due to the immediate recruitment requirements for the above operational positions only, we ask that CVs be sent to the following email address: [email protected],” the memo read.

It said, “Your application will be carefully assessed, and suitable candidates will be invited for an interview,”

“We will not reply to applications that do not meet the above criteria,” the memo noted.

Nigeria Air is the nation’s proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in England on July 18, 2018.

The project was suspended two months after it was announced after critics raised concerns over its relevance and sustainability. The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million preliminary cost and $300 million as takeoff cost.

Nigeria’s defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management.

But the Nigerian government dismissed all concerns raised, saying the airline would begin operation before the end of 2018, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to establish a national airline during his 2015 electioneering campaign.

The new airline will be owned by a private Nigerian consortium, Ethiopian Airlines and the federal government.

The World Bank has said that Nigeria’s economic outlook is uncertain and its ability to attract domestic and foreign investments is also crashing.

It also noted that the condition of welfare in Nigeria was worsening despite the economic recovery from recession.

The Washington-based bank said this in its draft report for State Action on Business Enabling Reforms, which is available on its website.

The bank report read in part, “Although the Nigeria’s economy in 2021-2022 recovered from recession induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and lower oil prices, growing by 3.6 per cent in 2021 with an expected growth of 3.2 per cent in 2022, welfare has continued to deteriorate.

“The country’s economic outlook remains uncertain and threatened by many issues including the impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on the global economy, lower-than-expected oil production due to technical inefficiencies; heightened insecurity; higher uncertainty on policy direction arising from the upcoming February 2023 general elections; and worsening fiscal risks related to the PMS subsidy deductions.”

The global lender stressed the need to catalyse private investment in order to boost growth and create jobs, noting that this type of investment was declining in the country.

The bank said, “Besides, Nigeria’s ability to attract domestic and foreign investment is low and declining compared to its peers. Private sector investment’s contribution to growth has declined as a consequence of macroeconomic and financial policies that constrain exports and foreign investment.”

The World Bank further emphasised the need for a more flexible and transparent foreign exchange management regime, accelerated revenue-based fiscal consolidation, strengthened expenditure and debt management and improved business-enabling environment.

The PUNCH reported earlier in September that 32 states failed to attract foreign capital in the second quarter of 2022, according to a Foreign Direct Investment data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.Of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, only Lagos, Abuja, Anambra, Ekiti, and Kogi witnessed capital inflows.

Cumulative capital inflows totalled $1.54bn. Lagos ($1.05bn) attracted the most capital in the period under review, followed by Abuja at $453.95m, Anambra at $24.71m, Kogi at $2m, and Ekiti at $500,000.

In the first quarter, only six states attracted a total of $1.57bn as capital importation. The states included Abuja, Anambra, Katsina, Lagos, Oyo, and Plateau.

Nigeria’s capital importation has been steadily declining, with investors cautious with releasing their money into the economy.

Reacting to this, an ECOWAS Common Investment Market consultant, Prof. Jonathan Aremu, said Nigeria lackws attractive factors for investors.

“One thing about investment is that it is crisis-shy. Investment doesn’t go to places where there are crises. This is because investors want stability and predictability of their investments, particularly having returns on their investments.

“When an economy is witnessing what we are going through currently, despite the investment potential of that kind of economy, investors will wait and see whether the factors that can guarantee predictable and sustainable investments will finally be available.”

A Professor of Economics at Onabisi Onabanjo University, Prof Sheriffdeen Tella, said that investors had no confidence in the Nigerian economy due to poor economic policies.

He said, “Part of the problem has to do with the exchange rate. The exchange rate is very high. Investors don’t have much confidence in the economy anymore. We have to change policies.”

Many Nigerian travellers who were looking to fly into the country have been left stranded after an air traffic control strike grounded flights in and out of West and Central Africa on Friday.

According to a Reuters report, staff at the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, which regulates air traffic control across 18 countries, downed tools on Friday as remonstration over working conditions and pay, defying court rulings and government bans barring them from doing so.

A source, who was due to fly into Nigeria from South Africa told Saturday PUNCH that his flight, which should have departed the O.R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg to Nigeria on Friday night was grounded as a result of the strike action.

“Our flight has been grounded. We’re basically stranded here,” the source said. ASECNA told customers to check airline websites for updates.

“In spite of the prohibition of the strike by all the courts… the Union of Air Traffic Controllers’ Unions has launched a wildcat strike,” ASECNA said on Friday.

“We have already exhausted both administrative and institutional remedies in the management of this crisis, but we have in front of us trade unionists who are stubborn to do whatever they want,” ASECNA’s head of human resources, Ceubah Guelpina, told a press conference.

The USYCAA union said in a statement that its members would cease providing services to all but “sensitive” flights until their demands are satisfied.

The strike disrupted flight schedules across the West and Central African regions, leaving hundreds of passengers travelling to Europe, the United States and within the continent stranded at airports till Saturday.

By Oge Udegbunam and Abdulkareem Mojeed

Air traffic controllers in some African countries have suspended their strike more than 24 hours after the industrial action commenced and grounded air travel.

The Union of Traffic Controllers’ Unions said it decided to suspend the strike for 10 days to give room for negotiations. The union had earlier vowed to keep up with the strike until its demands were met, saying its members would stop serving all but “critical” aircraft.

“Air traffic services will be provided in all air spaces and airports managed by ASECNA from today Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 1200 GMT,” USYCAA said in a statement on Saturday. The controllers work under the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA).

Employees at ASECNA, which oversees air traffic control in 18 countries, stopped work on Friday over issues having to do with working hours and compensation. ASECNA said they had defied a court order and government restrictions to do so.

According to ASECNA, a Senegalese court on Thursday postponed the demand for a strike by air traffic controllers in Senegal and the Ivory Coast.

The strike disrupted flight schedules across the West and Central African regions, leaving hundreds of passengers travelling to Europe, the United States and within the continent stranded at airports till Saturday.

Air Senegal had grounded numerous aircraft. It was not immediately clear how the strike affected air travel from Nigeria with a spokesperson for Air Peace, which flies international routes from the country, telling PREMIUM TIMES the strike had been suspended, without further details.

A spokesperson for the striking Senegalese air traffic controllers, Paul Francois Gomis, claimed that several union members had been detained for taking part in the strike in Cameroon, the Congo, and the Comoros.

“The USYCAA has initiated a wildcat strike notwithstanding the prohibition of the strike by all courts,” ASECNA said on Friday. The chief of human resources at ASECNA, Ceubah Guelpina, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “We have previously used all administrative and institutional remedies in the management of this crisis, but we still have trade unionists in front of us who are obstinate in doing whatever they want.”

Airlines and passengers reported that flights within Africa were also disrupted, while customers were advised by ASECNA to monitor airline websites for updates.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the equity ownership structure of Nigeria Air stands as : Ethiopian Airlines 49%, Nigerian private investors (SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors) 46% and the Federal Government 5%."

By Abdulkareem Mojeed

Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has said the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) is not part of the private equity ownership of the Nigeria Air project as the government initially claimed on Friday.

In a statement issued by a Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the minister, James Odaudu, on Saturday, Mr Sirika said the NSIA is not in any way involved in the Nigeria carrier bidding process.

“We wish to clarify that the Authority (NSIA) is not involved, in any way, as part of the private equity ownership of the airline, being a government establishment,” the statement partly read.

This is contrary to the brief issued by Mr Odaudu on Friday, which stated that the Ethiopian Airlines is the core investors in Nigeria Air with 49 per cent shareholding and that the NSIA is among the three Nigerian investors with 46 per cent equity.

“After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and ET 49%,” the statement quoted Mr Sirika as saying.

The U-turn

However, in less than 24 hours after the aviation minister announced the preferred bidders and investors of the Nigeria carrier, Nigeria Air, Mr Sirika described the NSIA inclusion as “an error”.

“It should be noted that the NSIA was not mentioned in the Honourable Minister’s presentation, but only in the general brief given to the media, an error made during its preparation,” the statement noted.

It said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the equity ownership structure of Nigeria Air stands as : Ethiopian Airlines 49%, Nigerian private investors (SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors) 46% and the Federal Government 5%.”

“The public, especially the business community and the media should please take note,” the statement said.

“National Carrier– Nigeria Air”

Nigeria Air is the nation’s proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in England on July 18, 2018.

The project was suspended two months after it was announced after critics raised concerns over its relevance and sustainability. The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million preliminary cost and $300 million as takeoff cost.

Nigeria’s defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management.

But the Nigerian government dismissed all concerns raised, saying the airline would begin operation before the end of 2018, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to establish a national airline during his 2015 electioneering campaign.

In July, the Federal Executive Council approved the leasing of three aircraft to enable the airline commence operations on a date to be announced soon by the government.

Many Nigerians are still suspicious of the plan to launch a national carrier, partly with public funds, at a time the government is struggling to fund other essential services.

(Bloomberg) -- Francis Eze spent nearly a decade at one of Nigeria’s biggest banks working for a salary far lower than the one he’d negotiated in his interview. As a bachelor and then as a newlywed, he found a way to manage on a tighter budget.

His wife, a nurse, had long told him about colleagues at her hospital who had been recruited to move abroad but Eze wasn’t interested. Then with private school fees for two children coming due this year, the pair joined the flood of skilled Nigerians leaving the country amid a plummeting naira and a stagnating economy.

“I realised how insufficient the money was to take care of a family of four,” Eze, 38, said by phone from Toronto, where his family relocated in January. “I told my wife we should do as others were doing.”

The widespread brain drain from Africa’s most populous country -- popularly known as “japa”, which means “to run swiftly out of a bad situation” in the Yoruba language -- is having a devastating effect on the financial sector. Banks, already suffering from rising interest rates, higher operating expenses and threats of a spike in non-performing loans, are being forced to increase spending on training and recruiting, and in many cases lower their standards for new hires. 

Read more: Nigerian Banks Hit by ‘Great Resignation’ of Top Tech Talent

“It is a reality and we are just ensuring that we are recruiting more than are leaving,” Roosevelt Ogbonna, chief executive officer of Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest bank by assets, said by phone, without saying how many employees had left.

Better schools, higher salaries and more fringe benefits abroad, combined with a lack of local job security, is pushing mid- and early-career employees abroad, according to a report released this month by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. 

Struggling Economy

Africa’s biggest economy has suffered through two recessions in the last six years. Soaring inflation, which hit a 17-year high of 20.5% in August, has eroded household purchasing power and shrunk local currency salaries. So skilled workers are turning to big western economies, where other Nigerians have built successful lives, particularly Canada, the US and the UK.

The number of Nigerians who received UK work visas rose to 15,772 for the year through June, from 3,918 in the year through December 2019, the last full year prior to the pandemic, according to a report by the UK Home Office released last month. 

Last week, Moody’s warned that higher inflation and interest rates could see non-performing loan rates at Nigerian lenders spike. But for the banks, the concern over asset quality is currently being overshadowed by employee flight.

In a bid to fill the gaps, bankers are spending more time “training the existing workforce and equipping new graduates,” which may entail lowering the entry standards at some point, said Abubakar Suleiman, chief executive at mid-size lender Sterling Bank Plc. “The opportunity is to hire smarter, train better and make banking more responsive to fill the vacancies.”

The bankers’ union recommended offering remote work and modeling “the work patterns and the work conditions of their staff against global practices.” Ogbonna said Access Bank is looking beyond salary to create an environment that is “inclusive and conducive” to retain its workers, without elaborating. 

Eze, who works for a food company in Canada, said ultimately it will come down to money.

“Unless you have good work conditions, including salary that can cover your cost and you also make some savings, even if a little, you’ll be thinking of where to run to,” he said. 

BY  Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent

Virgin Atlantic’s crew, pilots and ground staff can now wear whichever of its uniforms they feel most comfortable in, regardless of the original male or female design of its red skirt suit or burgundy trousers.

The airline has announced a gender identity policy that lets its staff choose which of the Vivienne Westwood-designed outfits they wear to work – “no matter their gender, gender identity or gender expression”.

Virgin said the move was to reflect the diversity of the workforce, and to reinforce its branding campaign as welcoming and inclusive, after recent moves to relax rules on visible tattoos.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The airline will also start using optional pronoun badges for crew and passengers, who can request them at check-in to ensure people use their preferred pronouns. Its ticketing systems will also allow people whose passports have gender neutral markers – available in the US, India and Pakistan – to travel using those gender codes and the title Mx.

Virgin will also start mandatory inclusivity training, and initiatives for hotels in destinations such as the Caribbean, where some people have faced more barriers.

Juha Järvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said: “It’s so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work. It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.”

Virgin brought in Michelle Visage, one the judges on the hit reality TV show Ru Paul’s Drag Race, to promote its policy. Visage said the initiative was important to her personally, saying: “People feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are.”

The airline was one of the first to relax rules on makeup in an industry where crew often have to follow stringent guidelines on appearance.