The Organisers has released the results of the Winners of Travellers Awards from among the International Airlines in Nigeria for the year 2021.
The winners were chosen from a pool of 27 International Airlines that operated 9,673 flights and carried over 2 million passengers from 5 airports in Nigeria. The Top 15 of these airlines were profiled.
The following parameters were used, percentage of Flight delays, Number of Lost Baggage, Unresolved Complaints, Total Number of Flights, and Total number of Passengers Carried.
Using independent sources and statistics from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA the verified data was ranked in hierarchy and totalled. The Airlines with the lowest scores were chosen as winners.
Based on this data, Africa World Airline (AWA), from Ghana had the lowest scores of 23. It ranked as number 1 in the number of flights executed in 2021 to Lagos and Abuja. It did a total of 1,141 flights using an Embraer E145.
It had 35% delay with no baggage lost and no unresolved passenger complaints out of 90,574 passengers it carried. Running such a high number of flights with no lost bag and no complaints recorded against it is a rare feat.
Turkish Airlines is the Second Best International Airline in Nigeria. It is also the Best European Carrier in Nigeria for the year 2021. It had 669 flights using Airbus A330, A300 and Boeing B737 flights to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
It had 210,585 passengers, the 4th highest with 24% flight delay and no unresolved complaints by passengers. It came 13th out of the Top 15 International Airlines in the case of lost baggage. No unresolved passengers’ complaints.
Lufthansa German Airlines is the 3rd ranked International Airline in Nigeria. It operated 555 flights carrying 153,780 passengers from 3 airports of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt using an Airbus A330 aircraft. It suffered 21% flight delays and had a good record in lost baggage as it is ranked 3rd out of Top 15 airlines. It ranked 11th in unresolved passenger complaints out of 15 airlines which is low.
Nigerian Airline, Air Peace is the 4th ranked International Airline. It’s international operation is done out of the Muritala Muhammed International Airport using B777, E195 E2 and B737 to 8 destinations. It operated 699 Flights with 31% delayed flights carrying 65,037 passengers. It had zero unresolved complaints by passengers but ranked 12th out of 15 Airlines in lost baggage complaints.
British Airways is ranked 5th with 584 Flights carrying the highest number of passengers 238,339 in 2021. It suffered 29% flight delay operating a B777 aircraft. It ranked 8th out of 15 Airlines in lost baggage complaints, and 11th out of 15 Airlines in matters of unresolved passenger complaints.
Of all the Top 15 International Airlines, Virgin Atlantic had the lowest percentage of delayed flight. It had 19% of flights delayed which is the best for all European Carriers.
African World Airline also won the Best African Airline of the Year 2021 in Nigeria.
Royal Air Maroc from Morocco had the best On Time Performance of all International and Domestic Airlines in Nigeria at 3% of delayed flights. Its operations in Nigeria in 2021 did not enable it join the top 15 list.
The Awards will be presented on the 11th of March 2022 at Abuja Jabamah. Travellers Award was instituted in 1996 by the Publishers of Travellers Magazine and Atqnews.com with the Theme “Promoting Excellence in Travels”.
The Organisers had earlier announced IbomAir as the Best Domestic Airline in Nigeria. The Airline defeated 4 other Nigerian Airlines, Air Peace, Green Africa, Arik, and Dana for the Award.
This was based on the ranking of Nigerian Airlines using the following parameters: Average Age of Aircraft, Schedule Integrity, Spread of Services, Customer Care, Inflight Services and total Number of Flights done in 2021.
Independent research done by Publishers of Atqnews.com using statistics released by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other sources. Nigerian Airlines were ranked from 1 to 10 on all parameters and their Scores totaled up. The airlines with lowest scores were ranked as Leaders.
About 65 to 70 aircraft by 10 airlines carried over 12 million passengers to over 20 active airports in Nigeria.
Air Peace won the Award of the Best Nigerian International Airline of the year IbomAir came out Tops with the lowest score of 12 having topped the chart in four of the parameters. It only did badly in the Spread as it flies to Only 6 destinations so it ranked 8 out of the 10 airlines that were profiled.
It also had the second highest number of flights done despite having Only 7 Aircraft and was flying to only 6 destinations. It had done more flights than airlines that had more planes and flew to more destinations.
Travellers Awards also unveiled the 4 Personality Awards for the year 2021. The Awards were selected by the elite members of the Tourism Community and Approved by the Publishers of Atqnews.com and Travellers Magazine.
Pharmacist Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf the Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism was chosen by members of the Tourism 100 Club and the Publishers of Travellers Magazine as the Best Tourism Commissioner in Nigeria in 2021. The Lagos Commissioner had engaged stakeholders and initiated Trainings for Tour Operators and Creatives based in Lagos.
Lagos state has become the benchmark for most states in tourism development. Lagos State launched its Tourism Masterplan in 2021, that is an unprecedented feat by any state in Nigeria. She initiated the Community Based Tourism, CBT projects in the 5 divisions of Lagos. Lagos launched a Trust Fund that Provides Loans and Grants to Tourism Practitioners based in Lagos.
Chief Allen Onyema the Chairman of Air Peace was chosen as the Travel Personality of the Year 2021 due to his consistent performance in the Aviation Business. His airline, Air Peace is the first airline to bring a brand new commercial passenger plane to Nigeria.
Since Arik Air and Virgin Nigeria more than 10 years ago, 5 brand new Embraer E195 E2 Aircraft were received by Air Peace for operations in Nigeria.
His Airline had been evacuating stranded Nigerians in many countries and became the official carrier of the Super Eagles. In 2021 he became the positive force for Aviation and Travel Business in Nigeria. His Pan Nigeria messages endeared him to Nigerians as a unifying leader. No wonder Nigerians Rallied to Support him in the Impasse with the UAE.
The Tourism CEO of the Year 2021 is Turaki Nura Kangiwa the Director General of NIHOTOUR. He was a breath of fresh air in the Tourism Arena in 2021 with events and trainings all over the country. He pushed the hand of government effectively in 2021.
He identified the absence of government in the private sector environment. He partnered with Tourism Associations, set up the Sector Skill Council, opened up new campuses of the Tourism Training institute and anchored the World Tourism Day 2021. The WTD restored the role of government in the international event initiated by a Nigerian Chief Atigbi.
The Tourism Man of the Year is the President of FTAN Nkereuwem Onung. His election as the FTAN President was a unifying tonic needed by the Tourism Community riven by dichotomy and in fighting. His election was almost unanimous as all the Leading Tourism Associations backed his election.
He has since set out Inaugurating Zonal Chapters and encouraging strong member associations. His mantra of “Strong Associations make Strong Federation” seems to resonate with members. He has brought together a team that promises to lift Tourism a notch higher in the New Year.
