Nigeria national flag carrier plan gets mixed reaction

Nigeria chose one of the world's top international airshows to unveil its plans for a new national flag carrier, with a glitzy launch aimed at attracting foreign investors. Aviation minister Hadi Sirika said Nigeria Air would take off in December with 15 leased aircraft and said talks have been held with manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to buy new aircraft. Qatar Airways and Ethiopian have been mooted as possible investors. "I am confident we will have a well-run national flag carrier, a global player, compliant to international safety standards... which has the customer at its heart," said Sirika. The announcement sparked an outpouring of national pride in Nigeria, whose reputation abroad is often associated with corruption and poor governance. Supo Atobatele, editor-in-chief of Air Transport Quarterly and a former spokesman of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, said the move was long overdue. "An airline flying our flag across the globe will enhance the international image of our country," he said. The government said the new airline will not only cater for a growing demand for air travel but also create jobs and boost the economy, which is recovering from recession. Reaction to the announcement has not all been overwhelmingly positive, however, and many sounded a note of caution given Nigeria's unenviable track record in aviation. More than 40 airlines have gone under in Nigeria in the last 30 years, not least the former national airline, Nigeria Airways, which collapsed under a weight of debt in 2003.<br/>