Encomium
- How jet owners lure cabin crew with juicy deals
- How big girls woo private jet owners
ALTHOUGH, the Federal Government claimed that the new aviation policy is an attempt to sanitise the industry and bring it to form with international standards, ENCOMIUM Weekly’s checks revealed that it was aimed at checkmating some of the highflying billionaire owners of private jets.
Information available to ENCOMIUM Weekly revealed that government lose over N25 billion due to illegal operations of some of these jets. The reason is not unconnected to the revelation that about 80 per cent of private jets operating in the country are registered overseas. Thus, they are exempted from paying taxes and five per cent charges to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), despite the fact that they are owned by Nigerians.
Second, some private jet owners use their toy to smuggle contraband and cash in local and foreign currencies in and out of the country. Also, insiders claimed that some persons that security agencies had declared wanted were being airlifted out of the country aboard private jets. Some also use it as gateway to smuggle drugs.
Interestingly, we gathered that some jet owners and associates have turned the jets to sex havens where they indulge in orgies with some select celebrities and society women without suspicion.
An insider squealed to us that the way they pamper their female counterparts necessitated the mad rush to woo private jet owners by big gals. Although our source refused to divulge the identities of these big gals, we learnt that cut across the socio-political and entertainment sector of the country. “Aside sexual expeditions, they pamper them silly with hard currencies and take them to beautiful countries of the world.”
The abuse of the use of private jets by some wealthy owners we learnt were hinged on the fact that they sneak in and out of the country without appropriate checks as many of them take off from private facilities at airports.
How private jet owners lure cabin crew with juicy deals
INTERESTING facts have emerged that there is a mad rush by commercial cabin crew members for private jet. An industry source, who squealed to ENCOMIUM Weekly revealed that with the recent surge in acquisition of private jets by wealthy Nigerians, they have been luring experienced cabin crew members with juicy deals. Unlike like counterparts in commercial sector who are paid between N70,000 and N90,000 monthly, private jet owners now lure air hostesses with $1,000 (N160,000) per month. While their counterparts work round the clock and are not paid regularly, cabin crew members aboard private jets work on schedule and are paid before month ends.
A cabin crew member who spoke to us under anonymity divulged that “A whole lot of us are now going for a private jet course under an agency in Lagos that helps recruit cabin crew for private jet owners. I am currently undergoing the course too. The course fee is N150,000. Although it is expensive but it’s worth it when you consider the perks you enjoy when working for private jet owners. They dress smartly and are like business executives attending to a rich client on board. It also affords you an opportunity to get close to the rich and the mighty. Aside that, their rich friends tip them with hard currency. In fact, they spoil them silly.”
THE BUSIEST PRIVATE JET
Amongst the top 20 private jets in Nigeria, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s Bombardier Express XRS is the busiest.
We learnt that the superior long range aircraft valued at $45 million (N7.2 billion) was acquired in 2010 in response to an increasingly busy travel schedule of the mogul whose business tentacles have grown beyond the African frontiers.
5 MOST LUXURIOUS JETS IN NIGERIA
With the richest among us shelling billions of naira on private jets, findings by ENCOMIUM Weekly revealed that the five most luxury private jets are:
FALCON 7X
The Falcon 7X offers one of the largest and best proportioned cabins available in the executive market.
This $51 million (N8.1 billion) jet is adjudged one of the luxury private jets in the world. The cabin area is dedicated entirely to passenger comfort with a headroom of 1.87m/74 throughout. It is exceptionally quiet with an air conditioning system designed to keep you extremely comfortable at all time during the flight as well as on the ground.
It’s wide body cabin offers the very best feature flexibility and passenger comfort and is easily adapted for personal requirements. The cabin offers you a reception area, a dining room, a private lounge and a sleeping area with the comfort of a full size double bed. In addition, the Falcon 7X provides all the essential conveniences for your personal comfort. It is powered by three reliable economical Garrett engines.
Finally, the jet has advanced state-of-the-art all digital avionics suite, and architecture art designed by BMW. Its interior offers defining features, including uncompromising cabin comfort for temperate monitoring, thermal controls and custom-crafted interior furnishings.
BOMBARDIER GLOBAL EXPRESS
This N7.2 billion jet is laced with latest flight facilities and is one of the most luxurious in the world. It is not only a beauty to behold, it is also a gem to fly in. The aircraft features a pixilated gradient paint scheme composed of thousands of small grey dots. To create a more spacious cabin fell, horizontal lines were used as a design element and they are repeated from the carpet to the seating upholstery and to the veneered timber application. The veneer is a high-glass stained Mozambique wood species that was specifically handpicked for custom effect. The cabin has a lounge, a well equipped kitchen, a mini dining, lavatory. A 10-seater jet, it features a spacious cabin, extended cockpit and sophisticated communication equipment.
GULFSTREAM
This is the most advanced business aircraft. It is designed, developed, manufactured and maintained by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. It is equipped with a plane view cockpit, which is currently the most advanced flight desk in business aviation. The cabin aboard it combine productivity with exceptional comfort. The signature oval windows provide ample sunlight and a continuous supply of 100 per cent fresh air throughout the cabin keeps passengers comfortable on long flights. Maintaining contact with the home or office is even easier with a host of standard communication features such as a fax machine, a printer, a wireless local area network and satellite communications. The cabin is arranged as separate reception, dining, entertaining or resting lounge and a kitchen.
BOMBARDIER 604
This N4.8 billion executive jet provides range, speed, sophistication and style. A lot of power can be found in the Bombardier 604.
It consists of a glass cockpit; the Collins pro line 4. Six screens (7.25 inches) show left and right primary flight displays, multifunction displays and EICAs and an avionics suite.
Its cabin interior measures 28.3 feet in length, the available cabin space is just shot of 17 feet. The space can be configured in a double-club/divan arrangement. It has a deluxe gallery and lavatory. It has a kitchen, a mini bedroom, entertainment systems and reception.
BOMBARDIER GLOBAL 5000
It is a N8 billion aircraft built for maximum comfort and speed. Its interior is so luxuriant it can’t help but spill into the cockpit.
It is equipped with advanced reliable cabin electronic systems. It offers business travelers the same high caliber speed connectivity capabilities and office options they enjoy on the ground, plus on-demand news/weather/spots packages along with a theatre of entertainment choices. It boasts of business aviation’s finest digital cabin electronic system. It also has the longest seating area which allows for unparalleled versatility in your seating arrangements. Whatever configuration you choose, you have ample space to stretch your legs and relax or set some real work done.
It also has a fully equipped gallery and lavatory. It has what’s called the AFT state room –A world of comfort and privacy apart.
The quiet aft cabin has an independent entertainment system as well as temperature controls separate from the rest of the aircraft. Aside this, it has an expansive space which allows the option of incorporating a private aft stateroom, complete with its own adjacent lavatory, to provide hard working world leaders and CEos with personal space to be at the most rested and productive.
- FEMI OYEWALE
- This story was first published in ENCOMIUM Weekly on Tuesday, July 09, 2013
