Senate committee recommends Arik Air as National flag carrier

The Senate Committee on Aviation on
Wednesday recommended that Arik Air be
allowed to serve as Nigeria’s national flag
carrier, until the Aviation ministry is able
to work out modalities of securing another
national carrier.
If this recommendation is adopted by the
National Assembly, Arik Air will enjoy
preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the
government, for international operations.
The airline company will also be required to
display the flag of Nigeria in all its aircrafts.
Presently, Nigeria has no flag-bearing carrier.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Aviation, Hope Uzodinma, while presenting the
report of the committee’s findings regarding the
arbitrary fees charged by British Airways and
Virgin Atlantic airways, said Arik airline should
be allowed to fly the nation’s flag pending when
a new national carrier would be approved by the
Minister of Aviation.
“What we are saying is that for now let’s allow
Arik to fly our flag around the world while the
ministry of aviation is working out modalities of
securing a new national carrier,” Mr Uzodinma
said.
The committee in its recommendations also
addressed issues relating to compliance or non-
compliance with relevant aviation laws and all
unwholesome activities by foreign airlines, and
the role played by regulatory agencies which
undermine the growth of the aviation industry in
Nigeria.
The Senate President, David Mark, while
reacting to the recommendations, requested the
committee to produce a “compressed version of
the recommendations” as according to him, the
one presented was too bulky for members to
deliberate on one after the other.