United Nigeria takes delivery of 1st of four Embraer 145s expected, December 2020 for star
United Nigeria will take delivery of its first Embraer E145 in the coming days. The aircraft, which arrived on a ferry flight at Shannon Airport (Ireland) on Thursday, November 19, is expected in Lagos, Nigeria by the end of the week. This is the first of a fleet of four Embraer E145s that the company will operate to launch its operations.
Behind this new company is businessman Dr Obiorah Okonkwo, from Anambra State. In September, he reported that his team was in the final stages of obtaining the Air Operator's Certificate (AOC). According to this, the company, based at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, could take to the skies by the end of the year.
“We will start with domestic flights. Nigerians should expect prompt and efficient service from us. We will do our best to make a difference in the industry,”he said. For the start of its activities, the company is initially targeting services to Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos.
Once launched, United Nigeria will enter a dense sky where there are already nine main local companies namely, Arik Air, Air Peace, Dana Air, Med-View, Aero Contractors, Overland, First Nation, Azman Air, Max Air, and Ibom Air - which started its operations in 2019. But the newcomer will still have to adapt to the local operating environment still not favorable to the viability of domestic airlines. Indeed, the price of fuel and the weight of taxes coupled with strong competition from foreign companies are, according to AON (Airlines Operators of Nigeria), factors that hamper the development of national carriers.
