We are debt-free, says Lufthansa

Lufthansa airlines, one of the oldest international carriers operating in the country, yesterday declared that it is "not in any way" indebted to the Nigerian aviation authorities.

This is coming after the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) last week announced that it will not spare international airlines that are indebted to the agency from being grounded, stressing that the rule internationally is that airlines using the services of a foreign airspace are not granted the privilege of indebtedness.

"We know how Nigerian airlines across other airspaces are treated; they are forced to land and grounded, if they can do that to us and the rules and regulations internationally says they are allowed to do that, why can't we also do that here?" asked Abubakar Baraje, governing board chairman NAMA. "It is time we act so as not to be taken for granted."

The 47-year-old airline, at a briefing in Lagos, argued that it is aware of international stipulations governing the operations of airlines in foreign lands, but maintained that it has abided by the rules in its dealings in Nigeria.

"If other international airlines are owing, I can categorically state that Lufthansa is not indebted to the Nigerian aviation authorities," said Herbert Reichle, the airlines sales director, West Africa, and general manager, Nigeria.

Mr. Reichle added that the carrier ensures speedy payments of its dues. "We pay landing fees when landing fees are due; we pay parking fees when they are due; we pay our airspace charges when they are due; so we are not in any way owing because that is part of our corporate responsibility as a group," he said.

Altghough, NAMA in its announcement did not list any of the airlines that are indebted to it, the agency made it clear that it will soon start chasing any defaulters.

In a reaction to Lufthansa's declaration, NAMA said that Lufthansa has not been mentioned specifically as an airline owing money. Supo Atobatele, general manager of the airspace agency, said that the aviation body has not released any list of debtors. "When we made the announcement last week, no one was named," he said. "There are no imminent plans to release a list of debtors as we need to protect our customers' interests as well," he said.

Passenger traffic

Meanwhile, Joachim Steinbach, the airline's West African sales vice-president, disclosed that out of the 70.5 million passengers that it transported in 2008, the carrier airlifted about 120,000 passengers on its Nigerian route.

Asked if the figure is a reflection of the low turnout in air travel caused by the economic downturn, Mr. Steinbach said that the airline has recorded encouraging passenger traffic despite the financial meltdown.

"Between January and September 2009, we transported over 40 per cent more passengers on our flights between Nigeria and Germany, compared to the same period last year," he said.

He, however, admitted that the carrier, like other international airlines, is faced with a series of challenges. "Strict comp etition from other airlines, fast growing market, and of course other economic issues are some challenges facing not only Lufthansa but many airlines today," he said.