Virgin Nigeria has announced that it is spending N101,375 billion on the purchase of new aircraft from Embraer, a Brazilian manufacturer.
The announcement was made at the 10th edition of the Dubai Air Show, the third largest air show in the world, which began in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday.
The firm said it intended to acquire 24 new aircraft, which would be in 10 orders to be supplied between September 2008 and 2011. The order specifies seven Embraer 170 Advanced Range (AR) and three Embraer 190 AR aircraft.
In addition, there are options for six Embraer 190 AR and purchase rights for eight 190 and 195s. Chairman, Virgin Nigeria, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, while speaking at the show said: “This is the first time in Nigerian aviation history that any airline will order as many number of aircraft.
“These new E-Jets from Embraer will bring a dramatic change to the airline ownership equation in the Nigerian aviation industry in which a few airlines have been advertising acquisition of brand new airlines to attract patronage.”
With the planned introduction of the new aircraft, Virgin Nigeria, which started operation in 2005, will access 17 new airports and 25 new routes. This represents new eight domestic routes as well as opening up another 11 regional routes.
According to Ohiwerei, the new aircraft would be configured in first and economy class cabins. He said: “Choice of the Embraer range of aircraft is premised on a desire to totally renew the airline’s fleet by introducing airplanes that are environmentally friendly in terms of noise level, low carbon emission as well as efficient fuel consumption.
“The E-Jets series are new generation aircraft with upgraded versions of Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and predictive wind shear as well as entirely new state-of-the-art instrumentation to enhance safety, such as Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), weather radar with turbulence detection and lightning sensing and fly by wire. ”
Virgin Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Conrad Clifford, said the wonderful technical support his firm would get from Embraer would make the Murtala Muhahammed Airport in Lagos an important maintenance hub in the region.
“Apart from establishing a workshop in Lagos or Abuja, the manufacturers would train our personnel in the first instance on how to get familiar with the aircraft. “Virgin Nigeria intends to deploy the Embraer jets on its growing domestic and regional networks, rightsizing the aircraft to the market size on some of the routes currently operated by B737-300.
The Embraer jets will be deployed on its regional and international markets.
“With their advanced range capabilities, type rating commonalities and flexibilities, aircraft will be able to serve the whole network, including long routes like Lagos to Dakar, based on passenger capacity demand, ” Clifford said.
Mr. Luiz Fuchs, Embraer’s Senior Vice-President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Virgin Nigeria’s choice of the Embraer jets is a strategic breakthrough in this promising sub-Saharan African market.
“We are extremely pleased by Virgin’s decision to select aircraft from Embraer and are sure that our jets will provide the airline with the capability it needs to expand its network even further.”
From Nseobong Okon-Ekong in Dubai , UAE
This Day
Monday, November 12, 2007
