US embassy cable - 03ABUJA576

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
 
DOT FOR MCDERMOTT, SZABAT, AND SAMPLE 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ECON, PREL, PGOV, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: CLEAR SKIES AHEAD FOR WORLD AIRWAYS? 
 
REFS: (A) ABUJA 507 
	(B) ABUJA 337 
 (C) STATE 55416 
 (D) STATE 51785 
 
 
Contains Proprietary Information.  Please Protect Accordingly. 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: World Airways' troubles securing landing rights from 
the Ministry of Aviation for charter service between Lagos, New York, 
and Atlanta could soon be over. On March 21, Minister of Aviation Kema 
Chikwe signed a memo approving World Airways' application and forwarded 
it to President Obasanjo, who will likely send it to Nigeria's Federal 
Executive Council (FEC) during the next few weeks for final approval. 
The Ministry's assent followed a March 19 meeting between Chikwe, 
Ambassador Jeter, and World Airways Station Manager Pat Munson to 
determine the status of World Airways' application.  After chiding the 
airline for not approaching her directly about the charter 
service, the Minister said she would expedite the process.  Chikwe's 
decision to approve the application came after nearly two months of USG 
insistence that the Ministry of Aviation respect Nigeria's bilateral 
commitment with the United States and grant World Airways' landing righ 
End Summary. 
 
 
2.  (SBU) On March 21, Chikwe informed the Ambassador that she had 
signed a memo approving World Airways' application to operate air 
service between the United States and Nigeria and had forwarded it to 
the President for likely FEC consideration and final approval 
during the next few weeks.  This followed a March 19 meeting between 
Ambassador Jeter, Minister Chikwe, and World Airways' Station 
ManagerPat Munson.  After several unsuccessful attempts World Airways 
finally had a chance during the meeting to formally introduce itself to 
Chikwe and to assuage the Minister's concerns.  Chikwe said the airline 
had only itself to blame for the delay in approval, as World Airways 
should have approached her before beginning advertising service.  Munso 
apologized and sought guidance on the correct procedure to follow.  The 
Minister accepted Munson's apology and said she would do all she could 
to expedite World Airways' application. 
 
 
--------------- 
Background 
--------------- 
 
 
3.  (SBU) In January 2003, World Airways, a licensed U.S. carrier, 
filed a request with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and 
the Ministry of Transportation to operate a charter flight between the 
United States and Nigeria.  The USG had granted World Airways worldwide 
charter authority; in addition, the USG had authorized the touroperator 
RiteTime Aviation and Travel Services, to market the service. 
By letter dated February 4, the GON's Ministry of Aviation acknowledged 
that it was considering World Airways' application.  The Ministry of 
Aviation nonetheless asked USDOT to confirm that World Airways was a 
"dependable" airline and not a front for Nigerians in the United States 
 
 
4. (SBU) According to DOT officials, bilateral partners, such as 
Nigeria, customarily accept USG designation as sufficient evidence to 
approve service under the Open Skies Agreement.  The DOT, nonetheless, 
provided a letter to the Ministry in late February stating that World 
Airways is "fit, willing and able" to provide air transport.  Despite 
repeated attempts by Post to arrange a meeting between Minister Chikwe 
and World Airways in late February and early March, the Minister was 
unavailable (often campaigning with the President), and the 
Ministry of Aviation was also unable to provide information to the 
Embassy or World Airways concerning the application process.  The 
Ambassador then met with President Obasanjo on March 7 to discuss 
World Airways' approval request.  During the meeting, Obasanjo said the 
solution to the problem was for World Airways to find another tour oper 
(Comment. Based on our conversations with World Airways officials over 
last two months, without RiteTime, World Airways will not fly to Nigeri 
End Comment.) 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
More Background: DOT and Post Efforts 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
5. (SBU) During a March 11 meeting with Ambassador Jeter and visiting 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation Joel Szabat, DAS Szabat 
and Jeter expressed concern over the Ministry's delay in approving 
World Airways service, which under the current Open Skies 
agreement should be granted with "minimum procedural delay."  Szabat 
stressed that the USG had fulfilled its obligation by designating World 
Airways an approved carrier.  (The Notice of Designation was transmitte 
via Diplomatic Note in August 2001, then again as a courtesy in 
February 2003.) 
 
 
6. (SBU) DAS Szabat reminded the Minister about the importance of 
faithfully honoring the bilateral air agreement and encouraged Chikwe 
to set a good precedent for other U.S. carriers potentially interested 
in beginning direct service to Nigeria.  Should World Airways face too 
many difficulties in securing landing rights, he said, other U.S. 
carriers would not look favorably on doing business in Nigeria. 
Kevin Sample, Senior Advisor DOT, reminded the Minister that USG 
approval of the now suspended Nigeria Airways wet lease agreement with 
Atlanta Icelandic had taken less than 24 hours. 
 
 
7. (SBU) During the March 11 meeting, the Minister complained about 
World Airways' alleged procedural failings.  She criticized World Airwa 
for not notifying the Ministry before the airline began 
advertising the new service.  According to the Minister, the airline 
should have approached her in person with the appropriate paperwork 
before going public and advertising the service.  Minister Chikwe also 
questioned World Airways' choice of business partner, Peter Obafemi, 
whose company is responsible for advertising and selling tickets. 
Obafemi had been involved in a failed deal with the National Aircraft 
Maintenance Project, which publicly embarrassed the Minister.  Szabat 
reminded the Minister that the question about the ticketing agent was 
in no way related to the issue of Nigeria's respect of its bilateral 
commitment to the USG. 
 
 
8. (SBU) The Minister next tried to link its approval of World Airways 
with Nigeria's attainment of Category I status.  This FAA top safety 
ranking, which reflects international standards, would allow Nigeria to 
fly its planes and crews to the United States.  Chikwe said she would 
find it much easier to approve World Airways after Nigeria obtained 
Category I status.  Both Szabat and the Ambassador made clear that the 
two issues cannot be linked, as approval of air carriers falls under 
our bilateral agreement whereas the Category I standing depends on 
Nigeria's ability to pass an international aviation safety assessment. 
 
 
9. (SBU) By the end of the March 11 meeting, Chikwe, although upset, 
said she still supported the deal and would put the issue before the 
Federal Executive Council after she received a recommendation from the 
NCAA and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). 
 
 
------------ 
Comment 
------------ 
 
 
10. (SBU) Now that the Minister has met World Airways staff and vented 
her frustration, approval of the airline's request should become a 
reality.  However, considering her past attempts to delay the deal, she 
may not be willing to admit defeat so easily. Her personal grudge 
against World Airways' ticketing agent, Peter Obafemi, remains a proble 
although she assured the Ambassador that the two had 
reconciled.  Chikwe's animosity towards Obafemi is compounded by her 
unfamiliarity with World Airways, which led her to suspect the 
deal waspossibly another swindle. 
 
 
JETER