Arik Air speaks up after Keyamo orders grounding of airline fleet

• The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, halted Arik Air's activities, another local carrier
• This comes three months after the suspension of Dana Air following an incident where the airline’s aircraft skidded off the runway
• The CEO of Arik Air, confirmed the suspension but criticised the minister for acting rashly in forcing the airlines to ground

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, stopped the operations of another local airline, Arik Air, three months after he had previously suspended those of Dana Air.

The minister of aviation gave the order to permanently ground the Arik Air fleet. Photo Credit: Arik Air
Source: UGC

According to information obtained by Leadership, the aviation minister issued an order to ground the Arik Air fleet indefinitely.

Aviation analysts have consequently projected that Arik Air's grounding will exacerbate the nation's present aircraft scarcity by reducing capacity and driving up local airfares.

Roy Ilegbodu, the CEO of Arik Air (in receivership), confirmed the suspension but criticised the minister for his impulsive move to force the airlines to ground.

He called the decision a "disastrous" and "unjust" action that puts private interests ahead of the general welfare and ignores pending legal proceedings.

Ilegbodu released a statement expressing his extreme dissatisfaction with the Aviation Minister's decision, claiming it was taken without prior notice or consultation.

“This is a devastating blow to our passengers, employees, and the Nigerian economy,” he said.

Grounding of fleet to trigger price inflation

Ilegbodu charged that the minister was disregarding the airline's dedication to promoting trade and bringing people together, especially on vital domestic routes.

He said,

“The grounding of our fleet will leave passengers stranded and inflate already high travel costs, hurting everyday Nigerians who rely on our flights for business, family, and essential activities.“We are perplexed as to why the grounding of our fleet was ordered, despite clear court directives to maintain status quo. This is an overreach of the ongoing judicial processes and directives of court, and it undermines the rule of law.“The decision also disregards ongoing judicial processes. On February 26, 2016, a judgment was made in favour of Atlas Petroleum International Limited and Engineer Arthur Eze. However, there is an ongoing case in the Federal High Court, where Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) is asserting its secured interest in Arik’s assets. “Despite this, a writ of attachment was issued on July 18, 2024, targeting our Aircraft, subsequent to which, further to an originating motion filed by AMCON, the High Court of the FCT on July 25, 2024 clearly instructed all parties to maintain status quo. We, therefore, are perplexed as to the grounding of our fleet, which is an overreach of the ongoing judicial processes and directives of court.”

In order to enable Arik Air to continue providing services to the public and boosting the economy, Ilegbodu pleaded with the authorities to reevaluate their choice and release the grounding order.

Dana Air fires workers

Legit.ng reported that Dana Air has stated that it has terminated the employment of some staff members during an operational audit being carried out by the country's regulatory authorities.

Kingsley Ezenwa, the airline's Head of Corporate Communications, released a statement on Saturday, May 11, 2024, to confirm the development.

The airline emphasized that the ongoing audit is a joint initiative between Dana Air and the authorities aimed at ensuring adherence to all required standards and regulations.

Source: Legit.ng