….to add northern routes soon

This is just as the airline announced the opening of northern routes soon.The opening of the Port Harcourt route brings to six the total number of routes the airline currently ply. Others are Uyo, Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Enugu routes.

Welcoming the airline to Port Harcourt International Airport, the State Governor, Mr Nysom Wike who was represented at the ceremony by the Commissioner of Transportation of the state, Mr Some Ginah, said the coming of Ibom Air to Port Harcourt was a welcome relief as passengers will now have more options.According to the Governor, ” Ibom Air will actually increase commercial activities in Rivers State because it is going to make the business economy thrive.

Most times when you get to the airport other airlines are not available, but with Ibom Air coming to Rivers you know you have an alternative”.

‘For now, they are starting with one flight daily but I am sure by the time they have regular flights it will increase. Port Harcourt is a business hub and I want to assure Ibom Air we have enough passengers for them to do business in Port Harcourt.

It is a welcome development, it is going to boost the economy of the state because more people will come to Rivers and this will ease transportation,’” he said.Responding, the Chief Operating Officer , COO, of Ibom Air, Mr George Uriesi, said  the decision to open the Port Harcourt route is an economic decision as Port Harcourt has the needed passengers and so, it is a viable route.

He also said the deployment of the A220-300 for Port Harcourt is apt as the inaugural flight had 90% load capacity and so is the return flight.Meanwhile, Uriesi revealed that the airline is planning to open a northern route soon. He however said the decision will be guarded by the volume of passenger’s traffic on the route.

Uriesi said : ” Port Harcourt has the capacity we believe, first flight it was about 90% capacity and the return flight is the same thing. We expected that Port Harcourt would provide the kind of load factor to justify the use of this aircraft type and we need it to create more capacity for port Harcourt passengers.‘We have four or five targets now but the decision on where we go is always based on numbers so it is very likely that one of the destinations would be a northern one.

‘We want to take this opportunity to assure our passengers that safety and customer satisfaction will remain at the centre of Ibom Air’s operations, and we will continue to work hard to meet and exceed your expectations so that you continue to see us as your airline of the first choice,” he said.Representatives of the Department of State Security, executive members of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) and National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), were among the dignitaries on the inuagural flight.