Allied Air Limited, an associate company of DAS Air Cargo, has been appointed by Virgin Atlantic Cargo to provide official sales representation in Lagos, Nigeria.

Allied Air, which was formed in 1998 and is now one of the country`s leading GSA organisations, will be responsible for all outbound air cargo sales on the airline`s four times a week service from Lagos, Murtala Muhammed Airport to London Heathrow. The company will also market all Nigerian originating shipments beyond London using Virgin Atlantic`s established route network and international on forwarding destinations.

The new Lagos service that commenced on 16 July, is operated by a Boeing 747-200 aircraft. Flights depart from Heathrow at 22.30 hrs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday arriving in Lagos at 05.00hrs the following morning. The return flights depart Murtala Muhammed airport at 08.25 hrs on Monday and Thursday, at 09.25 on Tuesday and 09.15 on Friday, arriving in London at 14.55 , 15.55 and 15.45 hrs respectively.

According to John Lloyd, Virgin Atlantic`s Director of Cargo: ” We expect Allied Air, who are very well positioned in the Nigerian market, to be able to offer us in the region of eight to ten tonnes of cargo capacity per flight out of Lagos. Inbound flights will be restricted, as our research has shown that African destinations tend to generate large amounts of excess baggage and we feel that our London to Lagos service will be no exception. As this is both a new route and a new market for Virgin Atlantic Cargo, we would like to spend the initial period evaluating the cargo capacity that we will be able to offer on our flights to Lagos.”

Commented Val Tongo, C E O of Allied Air Limited: ” The African freight forwarding market has long been in need of competition, especially on this route. We feel that the destinations served by Virgin Atlantic Cargo out of London will be attracive to our potential customers.”

Lagos is Virgin Atlantic`s 22nd destination and its third African route. The airline began flying to Johannesburg in 1997 and Cape Town in 1999.

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