The increment in the number of airline companies in Nigeria has surged the competition in the aviation industry in the past few years and therefore, air travellers are not sure which one of these industries is the best to take care of their flight.
There are a lot of factors that determine the efficiency of an airline company such as cost-effectiveness, customer service, on-board experience, baggage recovery, check-in convenience and so on. One of the ways to know how effective these factors have been set up is by considering the number of passengers recorded in recent years and ratings by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Without wasting much of our time, let’s delve into our list of the best 10 airline companies currently in Nigeria:
- Air Peace
- Arik Air
- Dana Air
- Azman Air
- Medview Air
- Aero Contractors
- Max Air
- Overland Air
- Ibom Air
- Allied Air
- Air Peace
This is arguably the best airline company in the country with the provision of exceptional International and domestic flight experiences for their customers. The company was established in 2013 by Nigerian businessman and lawyer, Mr Allen Onyema.
Air Peace has its based at the Muritala International Airport in Lagos State and gives room for both charter and passenger services. It has an extensive wing of aircraft which include: Boeing 737-MAX 8, Boeing 737-500, Boeing 737-500, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300, Embraer ERJ-145, Embraer E195-E2, and Dornier DO-328JET.
This diverse range of aircraft allows the company to run on both a local and international basis. The domestic route of the company’s airline includes Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Owerri, Asaba, Enugu, Akure, Yola, Kano, Ilorin, and so on while the International routes are Accra, Liberia, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
You can travel on Air Peace in any of their different classes- Business Class, Premium Class, and the Premium Economy class. The classes have specific advantages and allow for different weights of luggage check-ins. The Economy class travellers are permitted to bring in the luggage of up to 25kg while the Business Class travellers can take in the luggage of 40kg.
The company has the highest domestic share in air travel in 2018 and passenger volume in 2019 as over 6 million passengers used the airline company during the year.
- Arik Air
Arik Air comes after Air Peace on our list with its great turnaround in recent years. Arik Air was established in 1958 as Nigerian Airways and was a massive giant in the Nigerian Aviation industry as it serves both domestic and international destinations.
Unfortunately, the company was hit by some financial setbacks which led to the suspension of all International flights and hence, the reason for its current adoption of domestic flights only. In the coming days, we might witness a merger of this company and another reputable company in the aviation industry- Aero Contractors to regain its lost glory.
The company has two bases; the headquarters is at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos and the other is located at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. It has a very strong domestic destination network within the country and some other Western African destinations.
Its current fleet of 21 aircraft includes 4 Boeing 737-800, 8 Boeing 737-700, 4 Bombardier CRJ900, 1 Bombardier CRJ1000, and 4 De Havilland Dash 8-400.
- Dana Air
Following the plane crash involving one of its aircraft in 2012 which led to the restriction of its operations for two years, the company has drastically improved on its service after the ban was lifted in 2014 and therefore, it deserves to be third on our list.
It travels only to 5 local destinations which are: Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Owerri, and Port-Harcourt at the moment for both passenger and charter services. It is currently one of the best in terms of low cost, customer service, on-board and off-board experiences, and so on.
Dana’s fleets of aircraft include 2 Boeing 737-700, 1 McDonnell Douglas MD-82, and 5 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 with the effort being directed towards the acquisition of more aircraft such as the Boeing 737-800.
- Azman Air
This airline has successfully maintained its repetition and excellence in the Northern region since it was established in 2010 by Nigerian Businessman, Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina. However, the company did not set off on full operation until 2014 when it began travelling from Kano to Abuja.
Azman has its headquarters in Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and currently travels to local destinations which include: Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Yola, Port-Harcourt, Maiduguri, and the Bahamas on an International scale. The company is well-known for its amazing customer hospitality, advanced onboard experiences, extra safety measures and so on.
Its fleets of aircraft include an Airbus A340-600, 2 Boeing 737-300, 3 Boeing 737-500, and in 2016, became the first airline company to acquire 2 new-generation Boeing 777 aircraft in Nigeria for the Islamic pilgrimage activity of the year.
- Medview Air
This is yet another spectacular local airline that was established in 2007 to enhance the flight of the Muslim faithful during the Hajj period as a charter airline. It is otherwise called “the airline of Nigerians”.
In 2012, Medviwe began offering local air travel services to Nigerians and continue to expand its tentacles to International territories. Its local routes include; Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Yola, Maiduguri, and so on as well as Accra, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and the likes on the International flights.
READ: How To Book An International Flight
The company has a lot of attractive offers which makes it stand out among others such as the Blue Flyer Loyalty program which aims is aimed to reward their loyal customers at different levels of the program. These rewards include; access to VIP lounges, extra luggage take-in up to 60-76 kg to mention only but a few.
The company currently has 4 fleets of aircraft of 2 Boeing 737-400, 1 Boeing 737-500, and 1 Boeing 777-200ER with astonishing internal features.
- Aero Contractors
This airline company is as old as Nigeria itself, that is, it was founded in 1960 and has its ownership being split by two entities; 40% goes to the Ibru family and 60% to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
This legendary company has its base at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and offer its services to over 13 local destinations which include Lagos, Asaba, Benin City, Owerri, Port-Harcourt, and some other major cities in the country.
It has 16 fleets of aircraft to ensure the effectiveness of its services and these are as follow:
- 7 Boeing 737-400
- 5 Boeing 737-500
- 1 De Havilland Dash 8 Q200
- 1 De Havilland Dash 8 Q300
- 2 De Havilland Dash 8 Q400
Aero Contractor’s passengers enjoy a lot of customer hospitalities from the company as it provides them with access to free Wi-Fi, movies, earphones, individual screens, magazines, and even an onboard shopping mall.
- MAX Air
This airline was established in 2008 by Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal as a charter service provider and Hajj and Ummah flight services before it began offering flight services to local destinations around the country in 2018 and is also regarded as the longest-serving international airline in Nigeria though it travels to only Jeddah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia at the moment.
It has its based at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State and is known to be one of the most reliable airline companies in the country as it fulfilled the promise it made to give its passengers the best customer experiences to the amaze of many Nigerians.
The company currently has 6 fleets of aircraft which include 4 Boeing 737-300 and 2 Boeing 747-400, with one Learjet 45 for business booking.
- Overland Air
This is one of the fastest-growing airline companies in the country which was established in 2002 with the headquarters at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a supplementary hub at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at Abuja.
Its aircraft flies to 10 destinations within the country which include Lagos, Abuja, Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Dutse, Jalingo, Minna, Bauchi, and Asaba. The company as of 2017 was able to acquire 4 ATR-42, 3 ATR-72, and 2 Beechcraft 1900D to support its production.
- Ibom Air
This airline is owned by the government of Akwa-Ibom and was established in 2019. It is the first airline company to be run by a state government in Nigeria and is in partnership with our 3rd best airline, Dana Air.
It travels to five destinations across Nigeria- Abuja, Calabar, Enugu, Lagos, and Uyo. The company currently has 7 fleets of aircraft which comprises of 5 Bombardier CRJ900 and 2 Airbus A220 taken over from Air Sinai.
- Allied Air
Last but not least on our list will be Allied Air. This cargo airline company was established in 1998 by Val Tongo and has its base at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. It was one of the few airline companies that were successfully re-capitalised for operation in 2007 following the order from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
It operates both on a local and international basis with the local destinations including Abuja, Lagos, and Port-Harcourt while the International routes include: Cameroon, Accra, Freetown, Monrovia, Liege, Kenya and some other African countries.
It currently has about 8 fleets of aircraft which includes 3 Boeing 737-400F, 1 Boeing 737-800F, and 4 Boeing 727 Freighter Aircraft.
Conclusion
So, those are our top 10 picks for the best airline company you should consider when planning your local travel within Nigeria. Fortunately, some of these airlines also offer International travel which is a plus on their side. The list contains a large number of airlines to help you understand that booking a flight is more than just looking for the right price but also you must prioritize your comfort.
Let’s have your idea on our list and share with us your experience with any of our recommended airlines to book a local flight in Nigeria.