By Kelechi Deca
The story by Prof. Obiora Okonkwo of the initial hiccups the Airline had during its inception as a result of the global lockdown occasioned by Covid, is enough to cripple any venture. But as he said, it made United Nigeria Airlines stronger, and brought out raw resilience which has been ingrained to weather both business storms and turbulence.
When I got the invite to attend the unveiling of the United Nigeria Airlines two Boeing 737-800NG I promised myself to attend. That promise was based on the fact that two years ago, I wrote a story here that United Nigeria Airlines is set to rapidly expand its fleet through the acquisition of six ex-Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 jets, with further purchase options for four more aircraft.
That move was to triple United Nigeria’s fleet from just five jets to 15 and the agreement, brokered by SkyWorks, was then a key piece of Elliott Management’s push for Southwest Airlines to sell older Boeing 737-800 jets in favor of streamlining the airline’s fleet. The aircraft were named after two iconic Nigerians, Professor Chinua Achebe, father of African literature, and Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha.
This deal with United Nigeria includes post-delivery collaborations, as Southwest will continue to help the carrier with training and maintenance, alongside support from Boeing which explains the presence of Mr. Moore Ibekwe Jr. at the event yesterday. He is the Executive Sales Director for the Africa and the Middle East region at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Mr. Ibekwe plays a prominent role in shaping aviation growth across the continent, frequently collaborating with Nigerian airlines and aviation academies to localize training and expand fleet capabilities.
The 737-800’s range of around 3,000 nautical miles, strong reliability, and single-class seating of around 189 will position United Nigeria to serve domestic, regional, and international routes with impressive efficiency. And this move obviously marks a major shift in the airline’s fleet strategy, which had previously consisted of a simple five-aircraft operation, comprised of four Embraer ERJ-45 regional jets, two Embraer ERJ-190, Three Airbus A320, Two CRJ-900, and two Boeing 737-500.
These new Boeing 737-800s will allow the carrier to better serve trunk routes and medium-haul markets. With two delivered, remaining four, these former Southwest Airlines jets are known for their dispatch reliability, something essential for a rapidly growing airline. With a range capable of more effectively serving high-volume domestic stages as well as routes to West and Central African nations, United Nigeria is silently and meticulously positioning itself for rapid growth.
Aviation experts are unanimous about the qualities of the Boeing 737-800 renowned for its advanced technology and design enhancements that improve performance, efficiency, and passenger comfort. A fact that was confirmed during a side chat yesterday Engr. Okey Ezeilo, General Secretary of the Institute of Nigerian Aeronautical Engineers and Engr (Dr.) Ebitei Charles President of the Institute of Nigerian Aeronautical Engineers.
It is expected that this acquisition would broaden the Airline’s domestic, regional, and international operations, enhance efficiency and capacity, and strengthen Nigeria’s competitive edge in global aviation.
This move to a fifteen-aircraft fleet will put United Nigeria Airlines in a better position to compete with larger Nigerian airlines on frequency, operational reliability, and unit costs. The Boeing 737-800’s higher gauge versus the 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 will help drive lower costs per seat mile on busy domestic routes, while also helping the airline maintain pricing and margins when load factors are strong.
The airline’s first flight took place on February 12, 2021, with a nonstop service from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) to Enugu. The airline launched with high hopes, and its first flight recorded an impressive 100% load factor. African airlines have historically struggled to expand, with notable airline collapses over the past decade, leaving the industry without dominant legacy players.
The Minister of Aviation, who in my opinion is the best we have had in 25 years, was as enthusiastic as the owners of the Airline. So was the NCAA chief and the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema. a fact that was not lost on my sceptical mind because in any industry where regulators and competitors share such camaraderie, I pray that the customer would not be on the menu. I hope such ecstatic enthusiasm turns out to be for the good of all, passengers inclusive.