Breaking: Ethiopian airline gives fresh revelation behind Nigeria Air

Newslens NG reports that the Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Mesfin Tasew has provided an insight into the involvement of the East African Airline in the setting up of Nigeria Air, saying the airline almost withdrew but the government insisted it should continue with the process.

the Airline’s CEO stated that the East African carrier never had any plan to set up an airline in Nigeria but was invited by the federal government to partner with it to establish a national carrier, Nigeria Air.

It also explained that the federal government requested that the Nigeria Air logo be painted on the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft be painted for inspection and the airline agreed.

“At one point, that leadership of Nigeria Air, which doesn’t include Ethiopian Airlines, asked us to bring aircraft painted with Nigerian logo to facilitate the progress of the Air Operators’ Certificate. So, we agreed with that, we took out one of our aircraft, we painted it with Nigerian logo, we flew it, it was for demonstration by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for their inspection. So, after two days, we brought back the aircraft, repainted it with Ethiopian logo and it is flying. So, while we were here, waiting for the decision of the court, now there was a change of government that took place.”

He said the airline at first resisted the invitation to set up the airline but later agreed due to long relationship it has with Nigeria where it operates to four cities.