Nineteen years after Brazil’s defunct national airline, Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense (VARIG), ceased operations in Nigeria, Nigeria and Brazil are set to restore direct air links between them.
Consequently, Arik Air, the Nigerian carrier designated on the route, has commenced the process that would enable it start direct flights into the Brazilian commercial nerve centre, São Paulo, and has applied for traffic rights and slot allocation from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (Agency National De Aviacao Civil) and the Department of Air Transport.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nigeria to Brazil, Mr. Vincent A. Okoedion, who welcomed a delegation of Arik Air officials in Brasilia, said the commencement of direct flights into Brazil would open up a window of investment opportunities for both countries in several areas, including agriculture, aviation, power, education and culture.
“Brazil is the hub of the economies of South America, just as Nigeria is the hub of the economies of West and Central Africa,” he said. “Both countries have always had that desire to see the two economies of West Africa and South America linked by direct flights.
“Today, Brazil is the sixth largest economy in the world and Nigeria is the fastest growing economy in Africa and the two countries are able to draw all the economies in their respective regions.
“So, once you have direct flight, this flight is not only connecting the two countries but the two regions, that is in Nigeria, the whole of West Africa and in Brazil, the whole of South America.
“You can imagine the size of these two regions, that is, the size of their economies, and the way it will boost trade. In fact, it will boost the business of the airline that is able to establish this connection.”
The current move by Arik Air, according to its Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi, was a follow-up to the meeting in February this year between President Goodluck Jonathan and President Dilma Rousseff for the restoration of air link between both countries to boost trade, commerce and cultural ties.
Sanusi said that direct air link between them as regional leaders in Africa and South America respectively would boost economic relationship, which would be accelerated with direct flights into major cities, including Lagos and São Paulo.
According to him, Arik was working round the clock to ensure that within three months, all arrangements would be concluded for the commencement of flights into Brazil, even as the airline plans to take delivery of more wide body aircraft to boost its long haul and international operations.
Sanusi further disclosed that the carrier intends to secure traffic rights to enable it start service before the Nigerian/Brazilian Bi-Commission conference scheduled for August 2013.
The Arik team also visited officials of the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDB), where they explored opportunities of securing multilateral funding for aircraft acquisition, as well as Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, to explore business relationships with the company with regard to the acquisition of regional jets to boost its operations.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=121570:19-years-on-nigeria-brazil-to-restore-direct-air-link
Culled from The Guardian
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