By Frank Meke
In a world filled with trepidation and anxieties, it is quite easy to forget the impression about places, persons, and services. I should think experience actually drives the growth and development of humanity, and that always has impactful spiritual depth and understanding.
The good book says how can a man believe if there was no one to preach to him. So, in our travel world, lots and lots of ” preaching ” ( marketing communications) are carefully deployed to sell products, services, and destinations.
In the emerging world of technology and digital innovation, I have seen and learned that attempts to replace the physical presence of ” man” has been met with certain operational dislocations which we cleverly dub as “technical hitch or glitch”. In all these limitations, man still remains the solution, yes, the reflector and evangelist, not some crackling machine, many programmed by man as a zoobie.
My position here on technological development is that it’s certainly exciting, but it may not replace humanity. It won’t, and in this world of great inspiring opportunities, I won’t shake hands with a machine and feel good.
As a cultural tourism journalist, I have had several deep memories of key service providers across the various chains, and it has shaped my world view and how airlines, in particular, evolved to shape global tourism trade and also create jobs.
In 1994, I had flown lufthansa to Frankfurt and marvelled at the German technical experience and innovation in aviation services development. The airline then was a darling of Nigerian travellers, but trust Nigerians, they won’t want to be treated less as human beings, and the shouting from the roof top was quite deafening.
The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies ( Nanta), ever vocal and protective of the Nigerian passengers, escalated the issue and the president of association then, late tourism industry amazon, Tereza ( ezobi) Ojo, pulled some hard strings and lufthansa had lots to explain.
By good friend Abayomi Jones, tall, handsome, and cerebral orator, heads the lagos office of the airline and had to send us to the airline chiefs in frankfurt. It was an era of technological innovation on ticketless travel and to which lufthansa pioneered.
How did we experience this technology? We flew from frankfurt to Berlin and back. The Germans took note of certain unfinished businesses around that ecosystem and indeed interacted with us. At the World Press conference held at frankfurt airport, we stood behind our people and boldly asked why old generation aircrafts were deployed to ferry Nigerians into the airport which is critical hub connecting other global destinations while supersonic aircrafts with all the tech pecks and luxury were deployed across continental Europe, Asia and America despite all available facts, that Lagos route is more expensive and indeed generates more revenue for the airline.
It’s certainly sad that the same disparity in fares and deployment of “obsolete” aircrafts by some foreign airlines into the Nigerian market still persists in some uncanny ways.
That’s where I will end this intervention, but again, to practically highlight that Nigerian airlines can do better, much more better, and I doff my heart for Ibom Air on the challenge to lead Nigerian cum African airlines to be more people’s services centric.
Services, to my understanding, is not something left for the books but intentionally deployed and continually evaluated for the good of users and patrons.
I had flown Ibom Air severally through to Akwa Ibom and on the lagos, Abuja route. I love the unpretentious Nigerianess , the indigenious voice from the cockpit that welcomes you into the world of Nigerian dream carrier, the beautiful hostess, and the timelyness at departure and arrival.
Ibom Air is not greedy in the expansion quest and maintained a strong hold on its operational routes and determined to reciprocate the love for its brand by air users.
Ibom Air safety records are also heartwarming, and the workforce is certainly trained and exposed to be part of a dream riding on the wings of resilience, determination, and performance.
At the World Travel Market ( WTM ) London last year, I met a team from Ibom Air, not just on our kind of back slapping excitement, but in an amazing opportunity to have a close touch on what makes this Akwa Ibom state owned airline competitively different.
At the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies ( Nanta cum Nigeria) pavilion, the presence of the airline certainly completes the picture of how our airlines could provide jobs and technical knowledge on aviation management but also a critical artery to the promotion and marketing of Nigerian cultural tourism economy.
The Ibom Air top team comprising of Annie, Imelda, and Udeme represents the soul, vision, and spirit of this airline, which is determined to change the perception of African domestic carriers.
Every morning, these exemplary Nigerians would be the first to arrive the pavilion and the last to leave. No jamboree, just intentional agenda to make a difference and support the emerging nigerian culture tourism business. If you know how rich Akwa Ibom state is in terms of cultural entertainment, arts, history, and diverse culinary offerings, it won’t be strange to possibly see the IbomArisetourism vehicle, curating passengers on Ibom Air heading out to discover this nigerian Virgin mangrove destination.
I sent a message on Sunday to Annie, the beautiful cerebral lady at Ibom Air, and also to Imelda that I will be their guest from Wednesday. For me, this trip back to Akwa Ibom is largely a payback appreciation call.
I have been looking for a way to thank the Ibom Air team, whom am I was privileged to share bonding moments in London and for looking after me when I took ill. Those were truly moments that I could not easily forget. My gratitude always to the nanta team of Susan Akporiaye, Chinyere Umeasiegbu, and Shalom Asuqou, too. We became family for the good nigerian culture tourism values.
I am alive today because this team of industry practitioners gave me their shoulders to survive. Money is good, but in the absence of a loving family and friends, life can be very short and brutish.
Ibom Air, I am coming back to base, and this time around, I got a message. Don’t disappoint us, grow big to become the highest employer of labour in Akwa Ibom, develop a cultural tourism centric vehicle to help Akwa Ibom as the tourism capital of Nigeria and wing your way across Africa. I look forward to flying Ibom Air across the continent, and be rest assured that I will share my experiences on print, on and off air.