Lagos: United Nigeria Airline to build aircraft maintenance facility | United Nigeria Airlines and Cronos Aviation, an international charter airline based in Montreal have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to construct an aircraft Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRI) in Nigeria.
This is also as the domestic airline looks to leverage a codeshare agreement with Cronos to expand its operations in the region. The partnership between both aviation firms will see Cronos transfer its technology and help United Nigeria train its crew and technical personnel.
Beyond providing services to United Nigeria Airlines, the MRO is expected to cater for other airlines’ aircraft within and outside Nigeria.
Speaking during the signing of the MOU at the airline’s office in Ikeja, Lagos, Obiora Okonkwo, the chairman of United Nigeria Airline said the choice of Cronos Aviation is driven by its track record and capacity.
“Cronos International has an already existing MRO in South Africa at the O.R Tambo International Airport. They have been operating for more than 13 years with the certification to maintain Embraer aircraft and Boeing 737.
“So we are signing an MRO in partnership with Cronos to set up such services here in Nigeria. As you may know, we do not have MRO capability to do base services in Nigeria,” Okonkwo said.
He explained that apart from aviation fuel, another component that erodes the revenue of airlines is aircraft maintenance, adding that United Airlines’ new partnership with Cronos will help it reduce operating costs, help the nation save its scarce foreign exchange and open up a new door for other aspects of strong participation in aviation.
He noted that there is a high number of Aircraft on the Ground (AOG) resulting from high foreign exchange rates, making it difficult for airlines to carry out their aircraft for periodic maintenance.
He said with the proposed MRO situated in Nigeria, airlines will develop the capacity to be able to attend to technical issues very quickly.
“So this has a multidimensional benefit. Not only to the United Nigeria Airline but also to the entire industry, and the nation in the area of saving foreign exchange, manpower development, technology and know-how transfer. So this is in the area of the MRO. Cronos also has operations going on in some West African countries.
“Cronos comes in and out of the Port Harcourt from time to time. So, this interline and codeshare agreement will help us to put all the infrastructures in place and take all the necessary steps to integrate our services to provide strong regional operations. This will open up our air travel in the region and help commercial activities.
“Interline is very important. It will also enable us to take advantage of the fifth freedom that is going on, which is already in place in the aviation ecosystem here.
Lagos: United Nigeria Airline to build aircraft maintenance facility | Source: BusinessDay
