Pilots, others beg Tinubu to save Arik Air

Pilots, Aviation Engineers and workers under the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, National Union of Air Transport Employees and Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to save Arik Air from what they called a “reckless grounding” of the airline.

The associations said this in an open letter jointly signed by the trio of the NAAPE General Secretary, Olayinka Abioye, NUATE General Secretary, Ocheme Aba and Principal General Secretary of ATSSSAN, Francis Akinjole.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Monday, stated that the grounding of Arik Air has caused anguish and frustration among the airline’s passengers and exacerbated the current worsening air travel challenge in the country.

The unions told the president that if nothing is done to Arik Air’s current situation, the fate of 2,000 workers of the Airline and their 16,000 dependents will remain hanging and might add to the already large number of unemployed persons in the country.

The airline’s grounding came at a time when airfares were out of reach following the shortage of aircraft on the domestic routes in the country.

Recall in April the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority grounded Dana over what the regulatory authority called an “elevated safety concern” posed by the airline.

Also in July, NAMA in adherence to a court judgment instituted by Arik Air’s creditor, Arthur Eze, grounded the airline over a $2.5m debt.

According to a document obtained from the NCAA, both airlines have 16 aircraft while 9 are unserviceable.

The letter partly reads, “This action has created anguish and severe frustration among Arik Air’s passengers and has exacerbated the present air travel challenges in our dear Country. Mr President can imagine the state of mind of those who have made both short and long-term bookings, including group bookings, with the Airline, especially those who may not have the means to pay for alternative flights.

“We are particularly concerned about the fate of the 2000, or so, workers of the Airline and their about 16000 dependents who are unfortunately caught up in this unneeded contraption. Under the current severe socio-economic upheavals, throwing such large numbers of citizens into economic quagmire can only worsen the forbearance strains.  This is apart from losses of other third-party vendors and service providers – airports, aviation agencies, ground handlers, fuelers, caterers, etc. This will have a significant negative impact on the earnings of FAAN, NAMA, NIMET, NSIB, and NCAA.”

While appealing to the president for any amicable settlement between the feuding parties, the union added, “Your Excellency, Sir, while we cannot arrogate the review of any judicial decision regarding the matter to ourselves as trade unions, we are strongly of the opinion that the mentioned fleet of aircraft cannot be subject of attachment to any writ that might have occasioned the grounding of the airline as the fleet of aircraft do not belong to Arik Air as such, it being lien belonging to secured creditors.”