Yemisi Izuora
Bristow Helicopters Nigeria (BHN,) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bayelsa state government for the provision of dedicated passenger charter flights between the state capital Yenagoa and various destinations across Nigeria.
Once all modalities, scope, and safety risk assessments have been agreed upon with the state government and the regulatory authorities, flights to Lagos and Port Harcourt Omagwa are expected to commence during the first quarter of 2019. Operations will be onboard Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravan turboprops.
“These flights are the foundation for connecting Bayelsa to other parts of Nigeria by air,” Bristow Area Manager (Africa), Dapo Oyeleke, said in a statement. “There is a great deal of interest in this service, and this agreement gives us an advantage in the market. We look forward to serving the state of Bayelsa and the country of Nigeria with these flights.”
This is the first such flying contract between a private entity and a government agency in Nigeria.
For its part, Bristow is an existing operator in Nigeria offering passenger charter flights to the oil and gas industry using an extensive fleet of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft.