AirFrance KLM has disclosed plans to increase capacity in Nigeria with introduction of newer and bigger aircraft.
The airline made this disclosure during its customer appreciation night last week at the Lagos Continental Hotel (former Intercontinental Hotel) Lagos.
Speaking during the event, Michel Colleau, General Manager, Air France KLM Nigeria & Ghana said the airline is increasing its capacity to Nigeria this year, which for the airline is very important.
Colleau said Air France KLM already has strong operations in Nigeria and it operates six to seven daily flights from Amsterdam and seven daily flights from Paris to Lagos, adding that airline is one of the main operators in Nigeria. BusinessDay’s checks show that aside from Ethiopian airline, AirFrance recorded the second highest passenger traffic for year 2017.
A document obtained from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) show that Air France had the next highest passenger volume; inbound and outbound with 254290, Lufthansa; 245,151, Emirates, which on December 15, 2017 recommenced two weekly flights to Lagos and resumed flights to Abuja ferried 242,033 passengers within the period while another Middle East carrier, Turkish Airlines airlifted 219,551 passengers in and out of Nigeria in 2017.
‘We are very confident that traffic will increase compared to what it was in the last two years. We are bringing in bigger aircraft. We are bringing many aircraft, very different,’ Colleau said.
Speaking on the importance of the customer appreciation night he explained that it is a very good tradition that the airline observes every year, adding that they are thanking their top and existing customers that travel the most from Nigeria.
‘We want to thank our customers for their loyalty and to show them our newest products,’ he added.
This year the appreciation night was inform of a concert with great Nigerian stars such as Adekunle Gold, Falz, Asa and Ayo Makun, also known as AY, is a multi-award-winning Nigerian actor, comedian, radio and T.V presenter.
IFEOMA OKEKE
