Travel News
Dana Air Raises The Alarm Over Aviation Fuel Scarcity, As Flight Delays Return - INDEPENDENT
By Olusegun Koiki
LAGOS – Barely few days after the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) suspended their planned grounding of operations over skyrocketing price of Jet A1, the product has become scarce again in the local market.
The scarcity of the product has once again led to flight delays across the country.
Mr. Sukhjinder Mann, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO), Dana Air in a statement he personally signed said that the situation had affected the performance of the airline to its clients and called for passengers’ understanding on the issue.
He said: “Unfortunately, we are again witnessing the scarcity of Jet A1 fuel across the airports in Nigeria, which has in some cases, caused recent flight delays.
“Our commitment towards offering a convenient and reliable schedule has never been in doubt and has always been centered on setting new standards in customer experience and redefining air travel and this communication is to reassure you that we have the commitment of our fuel partners to service our requirements, and that we will continue to offer you competitive fares for your business and leisure travels. “
Mann, however, said that the travelling public remained at the centre of its activities and lauded them for reposing confidence in its operations, which had led to its progressing and consolidation of its collective efforts.
He reiterated that the determination of the management to make Dana Air one of Nigeria’s most reliable and customer friendly airline remained sacrosanct with a commitment to maintain its safety standards, operational efficiency, and schedule reliability.
“We crave your understanding and thank you once again for choosing Dana Air. We look forward to welcoming you on board very soon,” he added.
He emphasised that the airline was doing everything possible to keep its passengers flying as per published schedules.
It would be recalled that the airline operators had last week threated to suspend operations from Monday this week over the rising of aviation fuel to N700 per litre, but the intervention of the Federal Government led to the suspension of the planned strike.
On Monday, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in a meeting assured that the product would be supplied to the airlines at N480 per litre for the next three months.
This was one of the resolutions at the end of the meeting by the House of Representatives to avert airline operators’ planned shutdown.
Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila who announced the resolutions, said the CBN had agreed to provide the aviation fuel at N480 — in what seems like a forex subsidy — pending when the carriers would be granted license to import the commodity.