While others in the aviation industry are smiling to the bank, information scooped has revealed that Discovery Airline seems to be falling apart over what insiders tagged as the Airline’s huge debt profile, unprofessional attitude of the egghead among other alleged unwholesome act.
Impeccable sources alleged that few days ago, the airlines’ services was disrupted by its landlord, Bi-Courtney who its management can no longer tolerate the whooping debt of Tunde Babalola’s Discovery Airline.
It was gathered that passengers were stopped by the management of Bi- Bi-Courtney as they are about to board the airline’s first flight on Monday.
Reason given was that the service charge which was supposed to be paid by Discovery Airline has not been serviced for several months.
An insider of Bi-Courtney, who prefer anonymity revealed that the airline has been served with notice of tenancy termination to vacates its premises with immediate effect and settle outstanding debts.
Other sources revealed that the company is presently enmeshed in financial crisis which led to the recent resignation of top pilots who complained the company owes them more than five months payment.
Discovery Air Chairman, Tunde Babalola’s alleged financial recklessness was said to be the genesis of the company’s present predicament. The young man allegedly collected some bank loans which he used for his oil business and did not pay back, and when he floated Discovery Airline and asked for banks support, they all shut the door in his face judging from his debt record.
Insiders reveal that Babalola’s strong will was what he has been using to push the company forward and all that is falling apart as he is on the verge of losing his company that was incorporated in 2008 on the values of Safety, Efficiency, Comfort and Quality Service.
A source hinted that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation knows that the airline is not adhering to the globally recognised safety standard but they have allegedly breached the aviation standard as the Discovery Airline is claimed to have a lot of friends in NCAA.
Some of the indications that the company is not financially capable is the practice perfected by the company to rely on the money it makes on the sales of ticket to fuel the plane, an operation that frequently leads to flight delay and also is the weekly payment of insurance which is a serious breach of aviation regulations.
It is also revealed that the two aircrafts owns by the company went for C-Check at the same time which sounded off the company’s battle to maintain its stand in the sector.
When contact, Babalola confirmed that his company owes its staff salaries.
“Yes we owe. We owed like five months but we are able to pay like one month few days ago. We are going to settle all our debts very soon but the truth is doing business in this country is not friendly at all.
“Like you journalist, instead of you to write positive story about the growth of entrepreneurship in the country, you are here asking me questions about my financial challenges. Come over to my office, I’ll give you details of our plan to offset all debts,” he responded.
Source: Societyreelnews.com
