The Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mr. Christoph Franz, on Tuesday disclosed that the carrier was in talks with the Federal Government to modernise Nigerian airports, especially the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.Franz, who spoke to journalists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the official welcome of Ethiopian Airlines into the global Star Alliance Network, said he visited President Goodluck Jonathan recently to explore ways of partnering with the government in the aviation sector.He said the German carrier had also renewed talks with the new Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, after a change of government affected its earlier plan to renew the infrastructure at Abuja airport.The Federal Government, through the former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Babatunde Omotoba, had in 2009 planned to build a new terminal and a second runway at the Abuja airport.The plan, however, suffered some setbacks due to a change in government.Franz, however, said on Tuesday that plans were on to realise the dream.We will like to strengthen our link with the Nigerian government faster than we were capable of doing; and there has been also a change in government in Nigeria and we are now in talks with the new Minister of Aviation so that we can achieve that (modernisation of the airports) as soon as possible, the Lufthansa boss said.He said Nigeria was very important to the carrier and that it was desirous of strengthening its presence in the nations aviation sector.There is no country in Africa where Lufthansa has more destinations than Nigeria. We are flying from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt; so, we are very much strong in the country. I personally went to see President Jonathan some months ago with the German Chancellor; so Nigeria is a very important part of our African market. We have many destinations in West Africa, which we are growing, he said.Meanwhile, the Lufthansa CEO said the decision of Ethiopian Airlines to join the Star Alliance Network would help his airline to partner with African carriers.Ethiopian Airlines became the third African carrier to join the global Star Alliance Network after South African Airways and Egypt Air. Their membership of the network enables member carriers to integrate their operations, including the destinations they fly to.Star Alliance has a total of 28 airlines offering 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 destinations in 189 countries.Lufthansa is also a member of the Star Alliance.Meanwhile, the worlds latest passenger jet, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, made its first landing on Africa soil on Tuesday.The plane landed at the Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, as part of the ceremony marking Ethiopian Airlines membership of the Star Alliance Network.The Dreamliner, which made its first overseas landing at the Farnborough Air Show in London in 2010, was introduced into the passenger business a few months ago.The 20 per cent fuel economy plane, which has its air frame made of pre-dominantly carbon material, was delivered to its first customer, Air Nippon Airways of Japan, about two months ago.
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