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By Chinedu Eze, 04.29.2010
The new chairman of Virgin Nigeria Airways, Jimoh Ibrahim, has hinted that the airline would soon be given a new name to reflect the new image it would project for Nigeria in the days ahead.
The chairman who recently acquired major stakes in the company disclosed this in a chart with aviation correspondents yesterday in Lagos.
It would be recalled that the immediate past management of the airline changed the name from Virgin Nigeria Airways to Nigerian Eagle Airlines, but Ibrahim may be disinclined from retaining that name and plans to give it another name in the next few weeks.
“Well, of course, there will be a name change; that can never be ruled out. There will be a name change and the name change will reflect the integrity of our nation. Am not too far away from the name change and am sure it will be in a matter of days.”
The chairman said that he was going to revive and refocus the airline, noting that restructuring the airline would take place in the area of finance and administration, remarking that technically the airline is very sound and therefore would not need any change in that area.
He also said that in refocusing the airline he would stabilize it with seven aircraft and eventually increase the fleet to 17, adding that at that stage the airline would start operating long-haul flights.
“My immediate plan is to stabilize the airline with seven aircraft and we will achieve this very shortly. What we want to do is actually stabilize it at seven and from there move to 17 and after that we start the international routes.”
Our immediate plan is to get the local market right, get the regional market right and then from there, we move on to the international routes. Our long term plan is to make the good and take it back to Nigerians who are the owners, just like all our companies that we have acquired in the past and then take it to the Stock Exchange and make Nigerians to be proud owners of a good airline.”
Virgin Nigeria presently has seven aircraft, but two were sent on maintenance and livery change, while one suffered bird strike.
So far it has dominated the regional routes, operating as far as Central Africa and also retains significant presence in domestic services.
Explaining how he acquired the airline he said that negotiation started last year and was concluded last Friday, noting that by acquiring the company he has shown the capacity that a Nigerian entrepreneur could make such acquisition and assured that he would transform the airline.
“The Virgin deal started in 2009 and it went back and forth till it closed in 2010—sometimes in April, last Friday. Two things are very key in the Virgin Nigeria deal. First, we as a nation must continue to show the capacity that we can do it. Agreed that Richard Branson came with this brand to Nigeria and things didn’t work out as expected and Branson walked out with the MD, the CEO, and the CFO and technical officers in a day. Is it that we don’t have the personnel, entrepreneur that can do it? This is why I said we should conclude once and for on all this matter.”
Mr. Ibrahim said the airline would retain the majority of its workers, stating that his companies do not have the tradition of changing workers when he acquire them, adding that those who would go are those that were found to be fraudulent.
“If you are a fraudulent staff, you better start running. If you are not, enjoy yourself and expect your promotion. Let me tell you, its not all turn around that require people to be sacked. Le Meridien was turned around; we never sacked one single staff of Le Meridien.
We are increasing the fleet, why are the workers afraid. If you sack them and increase your fleet who are the people that will come and do the job? An aircraft must have a marginal number of people that will work with it. So, where will you get the people from? What you will do is to restructure them, send them for training. Let me tell you, our turn-around is only limited. Virgin Nigeria is not technically sick, it is financially sick; so the turn around will be directed to finance.” |
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