JET A1 price, forex challenged our operations plans – CEO United Nigeria Airlines

Osita Okonkwo, the chief operations officer of United Nigeria Airlines has disclosed that during the airline’s second year of operations, its activities were challenged by cost of aviation fuel and scarcity of foreign exchange.

“The second year has been more challenging than our first year. During this period, we faced the challenges created by short supply and high prices of aviation fuel, which impacted negatively on regular operations leading to flight rescheduling, delays, and even cancellations. It has not been easy managing those challenges, especially when you are determined to ensure customer satisfaction.

“We have also confronted the issue of non-availability and high rate of forex. These are unforeseen developments that tasked the industry. No operator planned it, and both factors critically challenged the company’s operational plans. However, we have remained focused on our strategic plan. We would continue to ensure that we offer the best of services to our customers at all times. Going into our third year, we shall do our best to draw on lessons learnt to continuously improve our services,” he said.

The CEO made these comments while giving return air tickets to 10 customers of the airline to mark its two years anniversary.

The 10 customers, who were selected based on their travel frequency with the airline, will receive free return tickets as well as 10 outstanding sales agents who distinguished themselves in the course of the year.

The sales agents include: wakanow.com, Orih Travel and Tours, Chellas Travels Services, Mfest Travels Agency, Quickair Networks, Super International Travels, Shephard Trust Limited, Dhaar Travel And Logistics Services, Satguru Investment Nigeria Limited, and Travel Essentials Limited.

A statement signed by Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, head, corporate communications of the airline, said all the winners will be presented with a return ticket in appreciation of their support to United Nigeria Airlines.

Linus Awute, director of administration, said: “Our decision to reward our customers is deliberate. Without them, we would have had nobody to serve. So, we appreciate their support and patronage, and that is why we have offered each one of them a free return ticket. We also look forward to a more enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our customers and sales agents”.

United Nigeria Airlines began regular scheduled operations on February 12, 2021 after obtaining its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and has won two awards as Most Enterprising Airline of the Year by The New Telegraph newspapers and Airline of the Year by Daily Independent newspapers.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.