Dear Trade Partner,
United Airlines would like to inform you that our flight operations will cease from Nigeria as of June 30th, 2016. The last flight from Houston to Lagos (UA142) will operate on June 29th, 2016 and Lagos to Houston (UA143) on June 30th, 2016.
United will be offering the following to all affected passengers:
Wholly unused ticketed customers with departure after June 30th , 2016:
United will offer a full refund with all applicable fees waived. All refunds to be processed through BSPLink.
Customers who commence travel before June 30th , 2016:
United will re-protect customers to alternative carriers for their inbound trip. PNRs are currently being worked on and will be queued back to your agency.
Purchases through UA ATO or CTO:
Please contact support.nigeria@united.com
United would like to thank you for the business you provided over the previous years and will work with you to clear all outstanding refunds or issues as quickly as possible.
For further clarifications, please contact the LOS CTO office.
Sincerely,
United Airlines – Nigeria
Why they are leaving
According to media reports, they decided to end flights to Nigeria (which was it’s only route to Africa) because of weakness in the energy sector and difficulties in collecting money from tickets sold in Nigeria.
The CBN imposed capital controls earlier in the year which has basically restricted outflow of forex out of the country.
Sources also reveal that the Houston to Lagos route had not been commercially viable for years and had been kept alive because of its importance to Texas-based customers. However, with the oil industry going through a prolonged downturn they had no choice than to abandon their Africa route.
“Repatriation has been a significant issue, as has been the downturn in the energy sector,” said United spokesman Jonathan Guerin
IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT THE UNITED AIRLINES HAS DECIDED TO WITHDRAW IT SERVICES TO NIGERIA EFFECTIVE JUNE 30, 2016! I ASSURE THE AIRLINE THAT THE ECONOMY IN NIGERIA WILL SURELY IMPROVE WITH TIME. EARLY WITHDRAWAL OF THE AIRLINE IS NOT A GOOD DECISION BASED ON THE LONG RUN PLAN THAT THE PMB ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY PURSUING. IT GOES TO CONFIRM THAT THE UNITED AIRLINES IS NOT READILY PREPARED TO ASSIST NIGERIA IN IT EFFORT TO WISELY MANAGE THE ECONOMY OF THE NATION. THERE ARE AREAS OF THE ECONOMY THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ADJUSTMENT AND RECOGNITION THAN GIVING PRIORITY TO AIRLINE FOREIGN EXCHANGE PAYMENT! LET THE AIRLINE AND OTHERS THAT MAY PURSUE THE SAME APPROACH BE ADVISED THAT THE PREVAILING UNFAVOURABLE ECONOMIC CONDITION IN NIGERIA IS TEMPORARY NOT PERMANENT. DIALOGUE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MORE HONOURABLE WAY NOT HASTY DECISION. NIGERIA WILL SURVIVE WITHOUT THE UNITED AIRLINES.
Great response Josiah!
You are a great Nigerian.
Indeed “there are areas of the economy that deserves priority attention than a f**king United Airlines.
Yes indeed.