According to a 2018 report by Air Transport Action Group , an independent coalition of member organisations and companies throughout the global air transport industry, the global aviation industry reached $2.7 trillion, some 3.6 per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product in 2016.
In his 2019 manifesto tagged, “The Completion Agenda, Governor Udom Emmanuel, said: “Aviation development cannot be under emphasised if my vision for an industrialised state must be actualised. Having turned the state to investor’s haven in less than four years of my administration, there is, therefore, a strong need to improve infrastructure and facilities in our airport and get the airport ready for the influx of investors that are trooping in and out of the state on a daily basis.
In keeping with his manifesto, Ibom Air was established on June 7, 2019. In three years of operation, Ibom Air has lifted over 500,000 passengers. No doubt, the successful operations of the airline could be attributed to the sterling leadership qualities of the Governor and his ability to partner with the private sector.
The airline’s highest on-time performance of 99 per cent was recorded in July 2019, when of the 302 total flights operated, 299 of them departed on time. Ibom Air has employed Akwa Ibomites not just in low to senior entry level positions, but in the very highly skilled aviation professions of piloting, cabin crew and aircraft maintenance engineering, numbering over 200.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, Mfon Udom, said this during the signing of the agreement with Airbus. “It gives me great pleasure to be here at the announcement of Ibom Air’s order for 10 Airbus A220s. We are pleased with the steep growth we have achieved in the two years and five months, since we commenced operations, a growth mainly driven by the massive embrace of our product and brand by the Nigerian domestic flying public.
This is the most comprehensive aviation development in sub - Saharan Africa today! Kudos to the state leadership in driving this economic process. Aviation can turn Akwa Ibom to a regional hub with its attendant influx of people,tourists and business!