Who wrote Camair-Co’s (Cameroon Airlines Corporation) obituary?

      During my fifty-two (52) days stay in Cameroon from November 2015 to January 

by Jackson W Nanje

2016, I did not only hear stories of lamentation about our only airline in Cameroon, Camair-Co, I received similar disappointment from the airline which confirmed my fears that the company might be heading to the dustbin if emergency measures are not taken to rescue it. It appears the inefficiencies of the defunct Cameroon Airlines, Camair, is being replicated in an alarming rate by Camair-Co. This is the assessment of Africa Intelligence, a West Africa Newsletter (http://www.africaintelligence.com/LCE/power-players/2015/08/20/camair-co-same-old-story,100179320-ART).  After a period of dormancy, the Cameroon government revived Cameroon Airlines through a Presidential degree in September of 2006 and renamed it Camair-Co, which stands for Cameroon Airlines Corporation. The airlines took off in March 2011 five (5) years later with the acquisition of three (3) aircrafts. One would think that the revival would bring the necessary changes that had crippled Camair. Far from it! When companies go through a restructuring phase, it is normally a period to revive its image and put its acts together. This is not the case with Camair-Co; and, something must be done to completely over-haul the dampened image of this flagship (company) airline. Nanje School of Creative Thinking’s investigation of the airline is complete now as we present the studies of our findings to the authorities, who should be capable of bringing required changes to polish the image of the airline, which is basically flying on its last wings. These investigative findings have two parts: problems and recommendations. We have re-examined what many have written in newspaper articles about the airline and also from interviews and experiences obtained from Cameroonians and non-nationals about the airline.

      It is safe to say that even though Cameroon Airlines lost its last wings the last time around and re-emerged years later assuming a different name (Camair-Co), to its credit; this problem appears to be synonymous with the way Francophone African countries with meagre resources operate their airlines. Air Afrique, which was based in Ivory Coast suffered a similar fate and went out of business. State-run Senegalese airline is also swarmed in a 45billion FCFA debt due to poor management decisions. Unbelievable!

Camair-Co Airline

      Problems Plaguing Camair-Co

     The primary goal of this investigation is to point out the inefficiencies inherent in Camair-Co with the hope that the authorities shall make required changes that would enable the airline to compete with other very efficient African airlines not only in the Central African hub but elsewhere in the African continent at least, for now. The very first person we interviewed in Douala did not call the airline by its name--Camair-Co; instead, she called it Air Peut-être---meaning, maybe or maybe not the airlines will fly at the scheduled date and time. This uncertainty in the take-off and landing times is one of the major reasons why the airline is losing even its Cameroon-based market to foreign competitors daily, at the expense of tax payers who must continue to foot its bills. Something has to be done; and fast too, to save the airlines from insolvency. Since when the airline launched its first flight in March 2011 it has been running on a deficit year in year out with expectations that, the government shall continue to bail it out of its financial woes. The corporation is on her fourth General Manager, the first two being Dutchmen (Alex Van Elk and Boertien Matthijs Johannes). Mr Jean Paul Nana Sandjo (husband to the renowned Cameroon artist, Grace Decca), is the second Cameroonian and current General Director of the airline, replacing Federic Mbotto Edimo, in just under four (4) years. Incredible! Sandjo’s optimism appears to be promising for the shaky airline. At least, he has outlined a list of to-do things top of which is a Business Plan for which, he has contracted American-based Boeing Company to draw with the hope that it will enable the airline stay afloat. (http://www.businessincameroon.com/transport/1904-5406-jean-paul-nana-sandjo-managing-director-of-camair-co-we-re-30-billion-fcfa-in-debt). It is important to note that the government of Cameroon shall come to the airline’s rescue again, financially, when this plan is finally submitted and approved. The following are stacks of problems our investigations revealed:

 a) Financial dependence on the government and over-staffing

 b) Lack of leadership and Management (Marketing) strategy

 c) Uncertainty in flight departure and arrival

 d) Shortage of equipment and Passenger overflow Problem

 A) Financial dependence on the government and over-staffing

     As reported on March 28, 2012 by Christopher Jator of Cameroon Tribune exactly one year after Camair-Co took to its wings, the company that was tipped to flourish did not only incur deficits (9billion FCFA) but had to cancel some of its African routes in its first year. The Cameroon government had initially invested 32billion FCFA and it only realized 15billion FCFA of its initial investment. And in spite of assurances that the company made to lift itself out of desperate measures, it found itself asking for another 25billion FCFA subventions from the government in 2015 to keep the airline afloat. The then General Manager of Camair-Co, Van Elk, had assured that, “we are very much aware of the fact that we are using State money, and everything is being done to ensure that the least franc is spent wisely”. He continued that, ‘the management team tenaciously holds to the values of integrity, transparency and prudence in financial management.’ We later found out that his promises were not kept and the company finds itself in even deeper financial difficulties. The company must break the cycle of over-dependence on the government for its financial bail-outs and thrive on her own financial strengths. Victorine Biy Nfor also of Cameroon Tribune stated that, 'Camair problems stem from limited finances, suspension of pilots, mechanical and a litany of other issues. In addition to fewer fleets which are prone to mechanical wreckage, Camair-Co created more routes than its few planes could accommodate thereby leaving many passengers disgruntled when there is a mechanical failure and the planes are unavailable.' The other disturbing issue about the way Camair-Co conducts its airline repair is through the hiring of Lufthansa engineers (who demand extortionate repair wages) to repair its fleet than use Cameroon engineers who are ranked amongst the world’s best (unsure of how they determined Cameroon engineers amongst the world’s best) and would cost less. The defunct Cameroon Airlines went through similar problems when they had to take their planes abroad for annual maintenance, which in the most part were/is very expensive.

      Another very serious issue that’s draining the coffers of the airline is the fact that government riders ride for free to pay later. Its (government) riders owe the airline more than 60million FCFA for previous use of the airline. This is indeed a lot of money for an airline that is yet to find its wings.   http://www.camair-co.cm/en.html

     Furthermore, the new General Manager of Camair-Co, Jean Paul Nana Sandjo,

Jean Paul Nana Sandjo (GM Camair-Co)

has the highest staff (700) amongst any African airlines (which he inherited from his predecessors) but can only boast of three aircrafts. Many of the air hostesses are foreigners, lamented Pius Ottou, an Economist and a frequent flyer of Camair-Co. The question is whether there are no competent, beautiful, and handsome Cameroonians who could be trained to handle the exigencies of air travel?! Happily, the new boss has identified over-staffing as one of his problems to address. The privately-owned Togolese airline, ASKY, has a staff of 250 with seven fleets. And, Air Cote d’Ivoire holds a fleet of six with 290 staff. These airlines run quite efficiently with the staff they have and they even have more routes than the Camair-co. And based on the problems cited above, we can now trace where most of Camair-Co’s financial problems are coming from. Fixing it therefore cannot be too demanding.

Recommendation: For the company to be profitable, it must drastically reduce its flight and administrative staff to acceptable numbers and levels. Our hopes are that, Boeing, a trusted name in the flight business, which has been contacted by Camair-Co to draw a new Business Plan for airline will address this moderne problem once and for all. Also, with the high rate of unemployment in Cameroon, the airline should strive to train Cameroonians to man the flight crew and manage the airline rather than use foreign nationals who cost way too much. Ethiopian airlines, like many other airlines of other countries, employ their citizens. We should be able to do same and curb unemployment in our country and showcase the efficacy of our flight crew.
The government of Cameroon should consider its latest approach of demanding a Business Plan from Camair-Co management as the last resort aimed at keeping the agency afloat. If this last attempt does not work, they should consider selling the business to private ownership, which usually runs things better.

B) Lack of leadership and Management (Marketing) strategy

     The poor management style of Camair-Co could be seen in its everyday lacklustre operations. It could also be exemplified by the numerous managers the company has had (four) in under five years since its re-engagement. The airline has become an example that most African countries point to on how not to run a business. It is not dependable, not dedicated to satisfying its customers even though its mantra states so, and, it is not determined to succeed amidst the busy competitive airways. In most businesses nowadays, maintaining a continuous trend in customer satisfaction is what they strive for. Not Camair-Co! The word lamentation cannot substitute for the embarrassment it subjects its customers to. Read this story below:

     On Monday November 23, 2015, a family friend flew in from Lagos, Nigeria. Her flight was scheduled to leave Lagos at 7:15PM but it was delayed until 9:15PM. This is however normal practice in the airline business. The flight was a direct flight to Cameroon but when it took off it announced its next destination in mid-air to Cotonou. A flight which was scheduled to land in Douala International Airport at 8:15PM ended up in Yaoundé Nsimalen Airport with family members and loved ones bemused at the lack of any sense of purpose by the airline management team. The authorities however provided a hotel stay and fed the passengers rather, reluctantly. They only succeeded in bringing the stranded, angry and confused passengers the following day at 9:30PM shamefully without any apologies. On her return to Lagos, Nigeria a week later on Monday, December 1, 2015, they shockingly sent a message that the flight has been cancelled while we were already at the airport. Normally, what most airlines would do when confronted with this type of situation is to accommodate the customers by providing transportation, lodging and food for them so as to encourage them fly with them again. But Camair-Co would hardly do this; and in the case of this family friend as with others on that miserable day, they asked her to come back and catch another Camair-Co flight six (6) days later on the December 7, 2015. This was pure heartless and inconsiderate of a customer who was not even from Cameroon. I demanded to see or speak to the supervisor or a manager rather than deal with their subordinates, to address the situation of this family friend immediately. I stayed at the airport with her for up to six hours until they resolved her situation. The management decided to accommodate my initial requests and the next day the family friend was put in a Nigerian flight back to her country.    

     This is not the only obituary story you will hear about this airline. There are countless stories of lamentations out there such as this one below--- (http://lcclc.info/breaking-news/cameroon-transport-about-200-customers-of-camair-co-manifest-in-yaounde-for-frequent-postponement-of-their-flight/3/)---and, recounting these stories is by no means to irritate and remind the management of Camair-Co of its ineptitudes; it is to enable them aggressively put a clean-up plan that will bring profitable financial returns on their investment. In addition, it is also to help clean the image of our country that the failing airline has severely tarnished over the years.

     One of the reasons that Nanje School of Creative Thinking went into this investigative expedition of the airline is because most Cameroonians were not even aware that the country, Cameroon, was still in the airline business. The airline does not fly in all regions of the country. The Anglophone region is not aware of the presence of a Cameroon airline in the country. For an airline called Cameroon airline, it must and should devise a strategy to fly in all regions of the country. Throughout the investigative period, not one of our investigators saw one advertisement bulletin on any of the numerous television stations in the country or in newspapers or on the internet aggressively competing for customers.

Recommendation: First, adopt an aggressive advertising scheme of the different destinations of its flights, the different prices the airline offers, and the different times of its various flights, are important ways to inform the citizens of what the airline offers. Second, the airline must avoid what Canon Lloyd Morgan coined as ‘trial and error’ or ‘trial and failure’ style of management in which attempts are made until they get it right. The government of Cameroon has spent billions of francs to bankroll the airline failures and it is important for the airline to get it right this time around on its fourth General Manager.

 C) Uncertainty in flight arrival and departure

     One of the biggest problems that Camair-Co has faced over the years which have indeed affected its profit margin is the uncertainty in its departure and arrival of its flight programs. No one knows for certain when its airplanes will take-off and also if the airplanes would arrive at scheduled time. The fact that Camair-Co is not dedicated to its customers because of the looming problem of unreliability, the customers also do not see the airline as dependable for use. The former CEO, Alex van Elk, attributed the airline’s financial woes due to its inability in regaining passenger confidence amid fierce competition from international carriers. This is partially true; however, the main reason for its financial problems is as a result of the uncertainty of its arrival and departure schedules. The coinage, Air Peut-être is how many have come to describe the Camair-Co airline. And this is a very poor image for any customer to hold about any product of value. Camair-Co has maintained this appalling image shortly from inception in 2011.

      The three Ds (determined, dedicated, and dependable), is a slogan often used to assure customers that, with their money, any business will do anything to accommodate them. It is good for Camair-Co to have a Business Plan; however, no such plan shall be achievable if management cannot win the trust of its customers. The prognoses on Camair-Co vis-à-vis customer trust, is zero. This is the area that needs tremendous resources dedicated to it if it is to stay in the competition.

Recommendation: When management of Camair-Co decides to build an airline based on trust, it will win the confidence of its former travellers. Their planes must leave at scheduled time and arrive at scheduled time as well. Determined, dependable and dedication are not mere slogans; these words are matched with actual commitment of the staff, to make its customers happy and bring them back as repeat customers.

d) Shortage of equipment and Passenger overflow Problems

     The lack thereof of airplanes have been one of the reasons that many who ought to have been frequent flyers are moving away from Camair-Co to its competitors. For over five years, the company has operated on three airplanes but has surprisingly expanded its routes to include Paris and Lyon in addition to numerous other African routes. While Camair-Co has identified this as a major reason for the decline in its market, fixing the problem has been a more complicated issue. Also, while the

Recently Purchased MA60

number of airplanes have been recently increased from three to five with the purchase of two MA60 purchased from a Chinese manufacturer (AVIC International Holding), these planes are not certified to fly in Europe (EASA) or in the USA (FAA) partly because of its known mechanical problems. The CameroonJournal.com and Hon. Joshua Osih (of the SDF party) have chronicled the mechanical history of these newly acquired planes (prone to mechanical failures), which have been prohibited to fly in Europe and in the United States of America and have advised the government of Cameroon accordingly not to purchase these planes. Yet, the Minister of Transport is encouraging Cameroonians to have trust in these planes simply because he flew in one of them during a 30 minutes test-flight from Douala to Yaoundé and therefore, the Chinese manufactured airplanes should be trusted. Click on the link below to read for yourself the compiled history of these newly acquired troubled airplanes (http://cameroonjournal.com/national-news/before-cameroonians-begin-to-die-in-ma60-planes-heres-their-broken-record/). With the known mechanical problems that Camair-Co has faced since its comeback in 2011, buying planes with established mechanical failure history it is believed, explains the lack of tact or aggressiveness in addressing the problems of the past and have instead increased the dangers of potential future problems.

      The mechanical failures of this embattled airline have created two major problems: passenger dissatisfaction and the loss of confidence to make the airline the airline of choice. Passenger dissatisfaction and loss of confidence should be addressed adequately if Camair-Co is to bring back their lost customers. The other problem witnessed is that of customer overflow. The company does a poor job handling stranded passengers. The combination of inadequate flights and problems emanating from mechanical errors are lessons learnt for management to create better solutions to accommodate stranded Camair-Co passengers.

Recommendation: Mechanical issues must be anticipated and back-up plans should be put in place to handle unforeseen contingencies when they occur. The airline must evaluate passengers’ problems and address them properly so as to encourage repeat customer. Provision of accommodation for stranded customers should be encouraged when flights are cancelled or negotiate with other sister airlines to transport the stranded customers when an emergency occurs that prevents passengers from flying with the airline. No customer should ever be left stranded at any airport under no circumstance. That is why a Contingency Planning Team within the airline should be put in place to address emergencies when they occur.

      As Camair-Co walks through this dark period of its existence, it should do so with the hope of not returning to this period never again. The revitalization and revamping process should be properly planned in order to restore confidence, the airline can become a profitable business for the first time in its history, and finally, it will restore the faith of its travellers and build a positive image of the country (which has been severely dampened as they Boeing prepares its Business Plan being so as to write a new chapter of the failing airline.