Virgin Nigeria granted US access
The Nigerian and US governments have reached an agreement that will allow Virgin Nigeria to start operating flights between the two countries, according to The Nigerian Tribune.
Services can now commence immediately after the resolution of a dispute that began last year. US authorities had refused Virgin Nigeria's initial request to start the routes following concern over the ownership of the company.
Virgin Atlantic, a British-based company, owns 49 per cent of the Nigerian airline with the remaining 51 per cent owned by local investors. However, this two per cent difference was not enough to convince US officials that Virgin Nigeria was a truly Nigerian company.
As a result it was felt that allowing Virgin Nigeria to begin flights would in effect be allowing a British company access to the US market.
Quoted in Vanguard Online recently, Conrad Clifford, Virgin Nigeria's CEO, explained how the new service would help travelers: "Virgin Nigeria's proposed direct service from the US to Nigeria is aimed at easing the inherent difficulties attached to traveling from the US to Nigeria, and the need to transit over Europe with the attendant cost of time, money and physical strain.
"Our service would meet this strong demand and will enhance price and service options available to the traveling public."
A date for the commencement of the services has yet to be given.
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User comments
More grease to your elbows.
Posted by: alh ahalan abdulraheem | Sep 25, 2006 8:05:36 AM