NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*United Continental Launches Inaugural Flight Between Houston - Lagos

By Lateef Lawal

"Nigeria is open to exploration by foreign investors and closed to exploitation", this was the statement with which the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren early on November 17, welcomed United Continental Airlines inaugural flight from Houston, Texas (US) to Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria has the market and good environment with which to accommodate investors and that the Federal Government was willing to assist foreign business men and corporate investors, but unfair dealings would not be tolerated in any guise. Saying that the maiden flight of United was historic and the demonstration of the government's resolve to look after the welfare of her citizens at home and abroad, the commencement of daily flights between Houston and Lagos would bring great relief to Nigerians in the U.S and especially in the state of Texas which host the largest percentage of Nigerians in the United States of America.

Dr Demuren who attributed the coming of United Airlines as one of the gains of the attainment of Category 1 Status by Nigeria therefore implored the management of the airline to give their passengers on this route, especially Nigerians the best of service and not to engage in unfair dealings. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: An Airborne Plane

Also speaking, the Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Professor Adefuye Ibidapo noted that the development was an attestation to the Fedral Government's commitment to improve on the high standard already set in air transport business in the country and also ease foreign investments by opening up to foreign investors. He said he was delighted with the commencement of flight services by United between Lagos and Houston because the State of Texas has the largest concentration Nigerians in the US and these Nigerians had contributed positively to the economy of US in various human endeavours.

Before yesterday,he said it has for years been ardous for Nigerians in Texas to come home through direct flights and had to go to Europe first to connect flights to Nigeria and on many occasions spent a whole day at the European airports to be able to come home adding,:"Now, they will feel comfortable having direct flights from Houston to Lagos and back". Speaking earlier, the Vice President of United Continental Holding, Mr Charles Duncan said he was greatful to the Minister of Aviation,Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, the Nigerian Ambassador in the US , the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,Dr Harold Demuren and everyone that have assisted the airline in making the launching of the service a success. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.

According to him, "Houston, is an important destination for both business travelers, particularly from the energy sector and leisure traffic.At the same time,our Houston hub provides Nigerian travelers with fast and easy connections to destinations across the US and throughout the Americas.The launch of this new route underlines the importance of the Nigerian market to United and we are confident that it will further strenghten commercial and cultural ties between the two nations." The 10,460 km flight is operated with a Boeing777 aircraft, featuring a total of 276 seats-50 in BusinessFirst(business class) and 226 in Economy.Flying times are approximately 13 hours 20 minutes westbound and 11 hours 35 minutes eastbound.

Present at the ceremony today apart from the aforesaid speakers include, Mr Joseph Stafford, U.S Consul General, Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Mr George Uriesi,Managing Director,Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Captain Edward Boyo, the Managing Director of Landover.

ABOUT UNITED CONTINENTAL

United Continental Holdings is the holding company for both United Airlines and Continental Airlines. Together with United Express, Continental Express and Continental Connections operate an average of 5,717 flights daily to 376 airports across six continents from their hub in Chicago,Cleveland, Denver ,Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark Liberty,San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington DC. United and Continental are members of the Star Alliance which offer more than 21,200 daily flights to 1,185 airports in 185 countries and employs 80,000 staffers in all the 51 States of the US and in many countries around the world.

MASTERWEB HOME - NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS - NIGERIA NEWS HEADLINES - WORLD NEWS HEADLINES