Dana Air reviews routes expansion plans ahead yuletide

Nigerian carrier, Dana Air says it is reviewing routes expansion plans to offers its customers seamless and most convenient travel options.

Obi Mbanuzuo, chief operating officer, Dana Air in an address to mark the airline’s 11th anniversary said even though it had not been rosy through the years, Dana Air had remained first choice for millions of Nigerians.

The airline on Sunday celebrated 11 years of its flight operations by rewarding customers with various gifts ranging from free tickets to souvenirs.

Mbanuzuo, while speaking at a brief ceremony  in Lagos  said that the airline would never have made it this far but for its loyal guests and staff who believed in  what the airline stood for and have kept it going, hence the reward and  celebration with customers

Obi stressed that Dana Air coming this far as a domestic airline in Nigeria had not been rosy as the airline had suffered among other issues, incessant peddling of fake news about its operations, but for the resolve and renewed passion of its staff and loyal customers who have kept faith with the airline, by consistently flying knowing fully well that the airline had built a strong safety reputation in the last few years.

“For us 11 years means we are doing the right things and making the right decisions at the right time.  We have been methodical, careful and realistic in our steps and we hope to consolidate our existing routes to provide full capacity, seamless travel and options for our guests to travel conveniently yuletide while still reviewing our route expansion plans,” Mbanuzuo said.

He noted  several airlines had come and gone maybe due to some incidents in the past or inability to cope with the operating environment. He lauded the Nigerian government for supporting the airline industry.

He said, “We have been here for 11 years and still counting because of our loyal customers, dedicated staff strength and above all a sound management team with a massive experience in the Nigerian aviation industry running the airline with a model worthy of emulation.

“We thank the Present administration led by His Excellency  President Muhammed Buhari, for gradually creating the ambience for airlines to thrive and the efforts so the area of infrastructure is commendable. We hope that these efforts are sustained in the coming years and other areas hampering the growth of airlines reviewed.

“For us, it has been about commitment, promise and fulfilment and we are delighted to have kept the promise we made to our guest last year about fleet expansion and capacity with the recent  acquisition of two new Boeing 737 aircraft bringing the number of aircraft in our fleet to nine. Our guests should expect more as our commitment and promise has not changed.

“We have made huge progress and our recent acquisition means more jobs for our Nigerian Pilots and engineers. In keeping steadily to our robust route and fleet expansion program, we would create more job opportunities in addition to the thousands of direct and indirect jobs already created, train more and improve capacity in Nigeria.

“It has also been 11 years of also contributing immensely to the growth of the Nigerian economy and the well-being of Nigerians with our over 9 years partnership with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and project pink Blue, a cancer fighting nongovernmental organization to conduct nationwide awareness about breast / prostate cancer and sponsoring free screening across the country with over 27,000 positively impacted.  This is just to mention a few of the humanitarian drives we have carried out across the country recently and in the past.”

Obi noted that the airline will continue to improve on what has continued to endear the airline to its loyal customers which is the airline’s unrivaled on-time performance, world-class in-flight service, innovative online products such as the online check-in, self check-in at MMA2, and its amazing customer service having created an array of channels of communication between the airline and its guests for ease of interaction.

“We hope to maintain our consistency and operational efficiency which we have come to be known for and we are already looking forward to another 11 years of glory,” he added.

Having flown over 2.7 million passengers in the last 11 years, Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with daily flights from Lagos to Owerri, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Abuja. The airline is reputed for its innovative online products and services, world-class in-flight service and unrivaled on-time performance.