LAGOS – With the commencement of direct flight services by Ibom Air from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA2), Lagos to Migret Ekpo International Airport (MEIA), Calabar, hospitality industry and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are set to receive a boost, Mr. Donald Duke the former Governor of the state has said.
Speaking over the weekend in Calabar when Ibom Air operated its maiden flight to the airport, Duke assured that businesses would return to the South south state.
Duke, who was part of the inaugural flight, also commended the airline management for maintaining high safety standards and always keeping to departure time.
He charged the people of the state to patronise Ibom Air, stressing that they would get value for their money with the airline.
He said: “Commuting and all that, you know, unfortunately, until lately, it’s only one flight in and out of Calabar. So, this adds to it, this adds more commerce to the city when people can go in and come out more frequently and there are more visitors. The hospitality industry will benefit because our people can benefit lots more. Overall, it will become a destination; you are not a destination if I can’t get to you. Until when people can now come in here and leave at will, then you are a destination.
“Ibom air is noted for living up to standards; they leave on time and they do things the right way, even though it is very new in the industry. They have kept very high standards that I want to encourage them to maintain those standards and also want to encourage our people to patronise the airline.
“ I am sure them coming into our state, there will be improved commercial life, will be better off and I also believe that it would help further the relationship between both people.”
Also commenting, Amaka Echetabu, Ibom Air, Director, Airline Services,
said the airline was happy to spread its wings to Calabar in this unprecedented time.
Echetabu assured that the airline was determined to sustain its on-time departure, schedule reliability and superior services.
She emphasised that no matter how the market shrinks, people would still move from one place to the other, stressing that the airline would ensure delivery of quality services on the routes and its other routes across the country.
Echetabu pointed out that Akwa Ibom and Cross River were sisters and as family, they could not do business without each other, adding that the coming of Ibom Air would further help the economies of doing business in Cross River State.
“We want the people to feel worth their weight in gold when they come to fly, we want to treat people very well, this is what we are really all about at Ibom air, we want to give them the best and what they paid for.
“It’s all about the market really, I would say that Calabar is a sister, it’s all family, and we can’t really do business without each other. We are a family and we can’t be doing all these good stuff in Akwa Ibom and not exporting some of it to Calabar as well. So, this is what we have done. This is what we are doing, they definitely need us here. It is not really about how many, it’s how well and we are going to come here and put in our very best.”
The flight would daily depart from Lagos at 8.30 am, arrives Calabar at 10.25 am. The flight will then depart for Abuja later in the day, return to Calabar the same day, and eventually departs for Lagos at 2.20 pm.
The inaugural flight to Calabar was operated with CRJ900 aircraft.
The aircraft on landing at the airport was welcomed with a water cannon salute by officials of the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS), a department in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), while passengers were welcomed by a traditional dance troupe of the state.
There was also a beautifully decorated cake with the airline colours stationed at the baggage collection area where passengers and other guests gather to take pictures.