By ABDULLATEEF ALIYU

The Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) has welcomed another Saudi Arabia-based airline, Flyadeal, which is marking its debut in Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The airline, a chartered international operator, has inaugurated its flight into Nigeria, with Kano as its first port of call while it plans to spread its tentacle to other airports including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

While receiving the inaugural flight into Kano early this week, deputy president, Umrah, Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria, (AHOUN), northern region, Sabitu Abdulaziz Mohammed, stated that coming of the airline was one of the initiatives of the association aimed at crashing the exorbitant prices of flights in the country.

Daily Trust reports that Kano is one of the busiest airports especially for Hajj and Umrah operation. It is the operational hub for airlines like Saudia; as well as Qatar Airways, EgyptAir and Ethiopian Airlines.

With Flyadeal joining the fray, experts say it would deepen competition on the route and cause reduction in tickets.

“The inauguration of the airline is another milestone in the history of aviation in Northern Nigeria. The region has been suffering for quite a long time because of insufficiency and scarcity of aircraft conveying our passengers, most especially, those that usually go to the Holy Land in Saudi -Arabia.“We started this arrangement with different airlines, for almost five years now, but to God be the glory, we are able to go into contract with this airline, FLYADEAL. The airline is a Saudi based airline, with its head-office in Riyadh, and they are operating into different parts of the world,” the AHUON official said.

According to him, the airline would be operating mainly for members of the association in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

“To God be the glory we have started Umrah operations with them, the arrangement with them is that the flight will be coming on chartered basis every two weeks, in conformity with the rule and regulations of Saudi Arabia,” he added.

He disclosed that Saudi had introduced new policy compelling all intending Umrah passengers, to be traveling to Umrah for religious purposes, not for leisure tourism.

“So, they set aside a system that we should be going in groups, and come back in groups, and reside in the same Hotels, and the same transport system would be arranged for us, so that is why we aligned with the airline,” he added.

Kano state commissioner for trade, Investment, and Industry, Shehu Wada Sagagi, said the advent of the airline would break monopoly in the state.

“As a government we distaste monopoly, and we are duty bound to encourage competition. So, we see the commencement of the airline’s operation in Kano, as a welcome development, as it will enable air passengers in the state to get value for money,” he added.(Daily Trust)