Domestic airline, Aero Contractors, has concluded plans to begin flight operations on the Benin-Lagos route, with the first flight scheduled for Monday (today).

The Head, Ground Operations, Aero Contractors, Peter Omata, said the expansion was based on growing passenger movement from the Benin Airport.

He said the inaugural flight would leave Lagos for Benin City at 2:10pm.

The Airport Manager, Benin Airport, Olatokunbo Arewa, was quoted to have said in a statement that the flight operations would run twice daily.

“The airline wishes to start with Lagos – Benin route and before the year runs out promised to open some other new routes,” he said.

The statement quoted aviation experts as saying that airlines were riding on the back of reforms by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government in Edo State, which had opened the space for investment in agriculture, industries, technology innovation, education, healthcare and infrastructure, among others.

Aviation expert in Benin City, Mr Leonard Adagbon, said the number of passengers flying in and out of Benin City was growing at a rate never anticipated.

He said, “The growing passenger traffic is also impacting on our hotels. More business people come to the state every week now for one thing or the other.

“You will be shocked to know that all the aircraft come into this town fully booked, so I understand why Aero Contractors wants to get their share of the cake.”