Posted by By Ndubuisi Francis on
British businessman and Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways which is the strategic investor/technical partner in the new national flag carrier, Virgin Nigeria, Sir Richard Branson, yesterday arrived the country preparatory to the take off of the airline, promising to deliver what he described as a 'great airline' to Nigerians.
Virgin Group to expand V-Mobile network
British businessman and Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways which is the strategic investor/technical partner in the new national flag carrier, Virgin Nigeria, Sir Richard Branson, yesterday arrived the country preparatory to the take off of the airline, promising to deliver what he described as a 'great airline' to Nigerians.
Branson who assured that the emerging national flag carrier would embark on the fastest expansion witnessed in the history of the airline industry said it would commence international operations mid July.
The British entrepreneur who arrived Lagos aboard a Falcon 900 aircraft in company of his wife and parents said Virgin Nigeria would fly nine international routes within the first nine months.
"As far as we are concerned, the international routes will start by mid July and we will be announcing a whole network of other routes later. We're flying into nine international routes over the next nine months", he said.
Asked to react to the mounting opposition to the airline, particularly at home, Branson noted that it was nothing unusual with anything new in Nigeria.
"As far as the public is concerned, they desperately want a good quality airline and with Virgin Nigeria, we will be taking about 200-300 people and get new planes. We are going to give Nigeria what it needs and there is always an opposition to anything new in Nigeria.
"But I can promise to deliver a great airline to Nigeria. In the first nine months, it is going to be the fastest expansion of any airline", Branson said.
He said his visit to Nigeria was to meet with the Chairman of the airline's board, Mr Felix Ohiwerei, as well as hold discussions for Virgin Group's investment in mobile phone service provider, V-Mobile.According to him, his group would be making a huge investment in the telecoms firm.
"We're also in discussion with V-Mobile network. We're investing a lot of money into the network. We're investing a lot of money to expand the network. We're trying to meet various special stakeholders of V-Mobile network today (yesterday)", he said.
Aviation Minister, Mallam Isa Yuguda, had recently disclosed that the airline would commence operations this month, starting with domestic flights.
Only penultimate week, the airline's first airplane, an A320 arrived the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos from Sofia, Bulgaria.
The aircraft configured for 126 Economy and 16 Business class was a subject of criticism from some quarters who questioned the rationale behind bringing in an aircraft that was not fully certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) before it was flown into the country.
However, workers and pensioners of liquidated national carrier, Nigeria Airways have vowed that the take off of Virgin Nigeria would not hold until their gratutities, pensions and final benefits are paid.
Apart from this, Air Atlanta Icelandic is challenging the take off of the airline in court when it is yet to be paid over $10 million debt owed it by the liquidated national airline, Nigeria Airways.