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British Airways and Others
The Pendulum By Dele momodu,Email:delemomodu@thisdayonline.com, 05.03.2008
I can confidently claim to be an expert on air travel. But I have tried to avoid getting involved in the controversy surrounding the well-acclaimed rudeness, and aggression, of the British Airways crew to Nigerians, despite the well-known fact that our routes are probably quite lucrative for the biggest airline in the world. The reason is simple. Some of our readers tend to read negative meanings to what we write even when it is obvious that we are merely doing our job. We live on a continent where envy is a cheap commodity, and showbiz is a new phenomenon, and every act of promoting your business is misconstrued as being boastful. Slowly, but surely, we shall get there.
At the risk of sounding immodest, I shall join the debate on British Airways today. I have flown many airlines to four continents. They include Virgin Atlantic, Bellview, Ghana Airways, South African Airways, Virgin Nigeria, British Midlands, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Aer Lingus, Continental, Delta, Alitalia, American Airways, Swiss Air, Sabena, and others. I was a frequent flier on British Airways, and our romance started from British Caledonian. I held its prestige Gold Card but was recently downgraded to Silver, because I now fly British Airways only to those destinations not covered directly by other great airlines.
There is no doubt that British Airways has a good safety record, which is the primary consideration of most travelers. The airline parades some of the biggest jumbo jets in the world, including the awesome Boeing 747, which flies the London - Lagos route daily, and during the summer, twice daily. BA also flies the ultra-modern Boeing 777 on the London - Abuja route. BA enjoys a near monopoly of patronage from members of the Nigerian privilegentsia. It is also an airline that smells of status symbol. Many Nigerian contractors, who want to sign one deal or the other, or seeking the ear of the high and mighty, often track such powerful sheikhs to BA planes and executive class lounges. Even ladies who want to seduce men of influence and wealth also connive with airline agents to know who’s traveling where, and when. They position themselves pretty, and pronto, near their prey. They understand the game all too well.
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a passenger to secure a First Class seat on BA, especially on weekends in Nigeria. On some of the occasions I flew the airline, I only met a few odd people like me in First Class. The roll call was always, the Ibrus, the Folawiyos, the Ojoras, the Sarakis, the Sijuwades, the Odogwus, the Subomi-Baloguns, the Dangotes, the Otedolas, the Alex-Duduyemis, the Bayo-Kukus, the Hope-Harrimans, and top government officials, Governors and Ministers, bank MDs, oil barons, and corporate titans. There is obviously too much money to make in Nigeria. No matter what Nigerian protesters post on the internet, BA has nothing to fear in Nigeria. The ever loyal old money will never blink an eye, and will continue to relish the comfort of their sleeper beds, and savour the taste of their caviar when available, washed down with the best champagne money can buy. Those who shift their loyalty are mainly members of the Middle Class, and a few ex-this and ex-that, whose pockets are running dry, or those whose bills are no longer paid by the government or the giant corporations.
As a result of the monumental successes recorded on the Nigerian route, BA has become very complacent. The airline is aware that ‘Big Nigerians’ don’t like to merry-go-round, and just want an airline that can fly them directly to all destinations, without too much adventure and stop-overs. BA is therefore the airline of choice for most Nigerians who see London as their second home. Some members of their crew have been flying for decades, and tend to look down on ordinary passengers, and serve them only condescendingly. The stern looks on their faces often intimidate passengers who may wish to ask for extra service.
I was one of their hostages until Virgin Atlantic came to rescue us. I personally have grouses against BA. The airline has failed to advertise aggressively in Nigeria. As a publisher, our relationship has been one sided. Why should I continue to patronize a company that refuses to patronize my own business? To whom much is given, much is expected. BA hardly gives anything back to the Nigerian society despite our huge patronage. Theirs is to grab and grab, which is against the British tradition of welfare and charity.
I suspect that Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group must have studied the weaknesses of BA when he landed the juicy license in Nigeria. Sir Richard interacted personally with the Nigerian media, and invited a few of us several times to his London home in Holland Park. I don’t know how many Nigerian journalists have met the BA Country Manager let alone its Chairman in London. BA’s media relations is zero. But the world of business today is driven by media hype.
Virgin recruited many Nigerians, and many of them are members of the crew. This crew understands the big ego of Nigerians, and knows how to massage it. Virgin introduced a lot of Nigerian meals on board. Its Upper Class also introduced the sleeper beds on its brand new Airbus A340-600, and provided better services, at cheaper fares. The Virgin Premium Economy Class is by far superior to BA’s World Traveller Plus. Virgin allows three suitcases in Upper Class, and an extra suitcase for its Gold Card holders at 32kg each, but BA allows only two on all classes, and reluctantly a third bag in First Class.
The white crew is far younger, more beautiful, friendlier, and chattier than those of BA. The BA crew was cold, unfriendly and often grouchy. They stand ramrod while serving the passengers. For Virgin, flying is an art, and every passenger is pampered like a Hollywood star. The killer service comes in form of the limo ride from Heathrow to home, and from home to the airport. Why should I spend almost N1 million to fly to London, and then wait in the cold for a taxi to take me home? BA has failed to respond to the Virgin challenge in Nigeria, and it is a great tragedy. Unknown to the airline, it has lost a lot of our young upwardly mobile customers to other airlines, while it has retained the die-hards, or passengers who know no difference, or any better. Not that they care anyway. Business is still very good in Nigeria.
The flying rewards’ redemption process of BA is too tedious. While I can redeem my miles instantly via a phone call to Virgin, BA makes everything so difficult. This was tested on a recent trip from London to Jo’burg. I was travelling with my friend, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, a loyal customer of British Airways, and realized that the price quoted by BA was too prohibitive. We asked if we could redeem our miles and BA told us we would need to give three days notice. I told my friend that Virgin would never be that rigid, and I was right. We phoned Virgin Atlantic, and we were able to use the Virgin air miles to check in immediately. BA’s conservativeness explains why it continues to lose revenue, and records less profit.
I now fly Air France to North America, especially Canada. I find the airline very clean, cheaper, and very convenient when I want to enjoy a stop-over in Paris, France. I have since acquired its Gold Card in the last few months. I’m yet to fly The Emirates, but I’m told it is one of the most hospitable airlines around today. Qatar is also highly rated. I hope those airlines would not be complacent like BA. I enjoyed Lufthansa in the past, and had great fun flying the airline from Frankfurt to China. I’m very fond of South Africa Airways, for the newness of its fleet, and the superlative wines from the capes.
Surprisingly, Nigerian airlines are catching up. I love the fact that I can meet a crew that already knows me, and can treat me like a star, and not like a piece of dirt. Bellview has done extremely well. Against all odds, it continues to hold its own in a very difficult terrain. This is why I flew the airline barely two days after its unfortunate crash, and everyone thought I was crazy. I’m proud as a Nigerian that the airline has forged ahead in the airline business, and has even expanded its wings beyond Africa and Europe.
Aero Contractors is one airline that continues to operate in the best professional tradition. It is the oldest private airline in Nigeria, and has recently expanded on the West Coast, to Ghana, Liberia, and Sao Tome. Arik Air has joined the ambitious train with its newer aircrafts and recent incursion into Ghana. Virgin Nigeria continues to leverage on the super brand name of the Virgin Group, but it is going to be difficult to compete against such a formidable tradition of excellence. With its own fair share of controversies recently, I have noticed some improvements in its operations, which if maintained would take it to the top table in the African aviation sector.
As competition grows in the industry, the airlines would have to be more creative, and collaborative, like our banks. The rationalization exercise would eventually lead to that. In a country with no good roads, no rail service, no boat or ferry operations, the pressure on aviation industry will continue to increase.
Exit of the Titans
These are not the best of times in Yorubaland. In recent times, one of the most enlightened races in Africa has lost some of its most famous icons. Not that they died young, but these were Nigerians whose vacuum would be too difficult to fill. At different times, they played prominent roles in the lives of our nation, and in the service of their people.
The Yoruba nation has lost the avuncular presence of Pa Emmanuel Alayande, a foremost educationist and politician, who led the Council of Elders in his lifetime to resolve a lot of the imbroglio plaguing the Yoruba nation.
Also gone forever is the irrepressible Beekololari Ransome-Kuti, whose Campaign for Democracy fought so many battles to free Nigeria from the iron grip of dictators. Mention must be made of Chief Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye, former Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria, the ruling party in the Second Republic. He hailed from the same Ibadan city as Pa Alayande.
Early this year, the Yoruba people of Ikorodu lost one of the most stylish and glamorous politicians ever to traverse the political landscape of Nigeria. As if that was not bad enough, death has struck a fatal blow on Pa Abraham Adesanya, the father of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, after a protracted illness due largely to old age. The last time I was privileged to see him, I had been invited to deliver the Abraham Adesanya Annual Lecture at the Muson Centre in Lagos, and he thanked me profusely for accepting the invitation. He was so frail but still forced himself to attend the ceremony, as a demonstration of his total commitment to his people. I doubt if he ever attended another session after that.
To crown it all, the pearl of the Yoruba nation, Professor Jadesola Akande, a professor of Law, former Vice Chancellor, social activist, only days ago slept into eternity. All of these great men and amazon will be sorely missed. May God grant them all eternal rest, as we try to learn useful lessons from the lives they lived here on Earth
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