Why the Minister of Aviation grounded Arik Air's entire fleet

• The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the grounding of the Arik Air fleet
• The airline's CEO, RoyIlegbodu slammed the minister over the decision and disregard for judicial processes
• The Arik Air's boss said the decision would worsen passengers' plight and inflate travel costs nationwide

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the grounding of all Arik Air’s fleet.

Experts believe the development will worsen the current aircraft shortage in Nigeria.

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, grounds airline's fleet Credit: Picture Alliance/Contributor
Source: Getty Images

Arik Air's CEO slams Keyamo

The CEO of Arik Air, Roy Ilegbodu, criticized the minister for the sudden decision to ground the airline, calling it a disastrous and unjust move that disregards judicial processes.

In a statement, Ilegbodu expressed disappointment and frustration over Keyamo’s decision, saying the minister made it without warning or consultation.

He said:

According to reports, the airline’s CEO accused Keyamo of ignoring the airline’s commitment to connecting people and facilitating commerce on critical domestic routes.

He said the airline's grounding will leave passengers stranded and hike travel costs, hurting Nigerians who depend on Arik Air for business and other reasons.

He asked the minister to reconsider the decision, lift the airline’s grounding order, allow it to continue serving the public, and support the Nigerian economy.

He expressed regret over the inconvenience the decision will cause the airline’s passengers.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) had backtracked its initial plan to increase navigational charges by 800%.

Keyamo orders the suspension of charges

NAMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, disclosed this in a statement.

Legit.ng earlier reported that NAMA’s managing Director, Farouk Ahmed Umar, hinted at a conference in Lagos on Friday, July 26, 2024, that the agency will hike the charges following increased service costs in the airports.

NAMA’s proposed hike was to cover service costs

Reports say the NAMA boss disclosed that it will raise en-route navigational charges from N2000 and N6,000 to N18,000 and N54,000 per flight.

The agency also increased the extension of service hours to airlines from N50,000 to N450,000, representing an 800% increase per extension to allow the agency to recover the cost of diesel and other logistics during the period.

NAMA raises navigational charges by 800%

Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has disclosed that it will raise en route navigational charges from N2000 and N6,000 to N18,000 and N54,000 per flight.

The agency also increased the extension of service hours to airlines from N50,000 to N450,000, representing an 800% increase per extension to allow the agency to recover the cost of diesel and other logistics during the period.

Aviation experts say the development implies an imminent increase in airfares by domestic airlines to reflect the new increases.

Source: Legit.ng