THERE are increasing fears that the prevailing debt situation in the nation’s aviation industry will lead to the collapse of the industry if remedial measures are not taken.  Since the beginning of 2009, three domestic airlines have stopped flight operations as a result of inability to cope with the harsh operating environment. The airlines are Afrijet, Capital Airlines and Bellview Airlines. Before termination of flights, Bellview operated for 15 years.
Some airlines like Chanchangi and Nigerian Eagle have suspended flight to some airports they were hitherto flying into on account of the negative impact of the ravaging economic crisis on them. For instance, Chanchangi has suspended its flights to Owerri. Nigerian Eagle has also stopped flying both the Owerri and Kano routes.
Nigerian Eagle was recently acquired by Jimoh Ibrahim’s NICON Group. Nigerian Eagle which started as Virgin Nigeria was floated to fill the vacuum left by the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways.
The most troubling development in the industry now is the imminent collapse of Aero Contractors. Also, Chanchangi Airline, which before the emergence of Arik Air in 2006, had the most fleet of 11 aircraft, is today left with few aircraft. 
Experts predict that unless drastic measures are taken, the remaining airlines may go the way of Nigeria Airways, Okada Air, Al-Barka, Sosoliso, ADC, Bellview. In the last 10 years, more than a dozen airlines have closed shop.
Captain Dele Ore, chairman of Aviation Round Table (ART) and former director of operations of the defunct Nigeria Airways, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent said with the current situation, more airlines will definitely go except the merger option is adopted. According to him, no airline is strong. “I am not aware of any airline that is strong. The ones that appear strong do not have competent management,” he said.  His words, “The situation is worse than what we are seeing and the survival strategy therefore is that whether airline chiefs like it or not they must merge, and pool resources together to become mega carriers that can stand the test of time. “If they continue the way it is now, they will not have the muscle for maintenance base, they will not be able to compete and will eventually collapse”, he said.      
Chris Aligbe, former director with Nigeria Airways lamented that the industry is collapsing, posing a threat to the economy. He said, “Overtime we said it that the industry is collapsing but nobody believed us and that is what we are seeing now. None of the airlines can be said to be healthy. The airlines are dying and it is a threat to the Nigerian economy and aviation industry”.