New carrier United Nigeria Airlines commences operations with Lagos to Port Harcourt flight

NIGERIA'S ongoing expansion of its aviation industry enjoyed a major boost yesterday as the latest carrier United Nigeria Airlines commenced regular scheduled flight operations at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

Despite having a potentially aviation market due to its large population of 200m, Nigeria is not a major player in the global industry. Nigeria does not have a national carrier nor a maintenance repair and overhaul facility and many of the domestic airlines struggle to replace their fleets.

Over recent years, the government has tried to boost by industry by making finance available to airlines but many of them are struggling with huge debts. Aiming to break the mould, United Nigeria Airlines recently launched operations and its first flight flew from Lagos to Port Harcourt yesterday.

Achilleus Uchegbu, the company's spokesman, said regular flights from Port Harcourt to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja would depart at 3pm daily while flights from Abuja to Port Harcourt would depart at 4.30pm every day. United Nigeria would also operate regular flights from Port Harcourt to Lagos every day at 6pm.

Osita Okonkwo, the airline's chief operating officer,  said its operations, customer service and destinations have been organised to ensure excellence. He added that the company will always be open with its passengers, customers, suppliers and vendors.