The Federal Government of Nigeria has lifted the suspension on Arik Air’s operations, allowing the airline to resume flights.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu made this announcement in a social media post on Thursday.
The statement read, “The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, and the DG of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, have successfully resolved the impasse between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum.
“By this resolution, Arik Air will begin operations today. The priority of the Minister and the NCAA remains to ensure safe and secure air travel for all passengers. Arik Air passengers are currently checking in for scheduled flights.”
News Telegraph had earlier reported that the airline was suspended in line with a directive from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on July 30.
The development, however, followed a federal high court order.
The court’s decision stemmed from a $2.5 million debt owed by Arik Air to Atlas Petroleum International Ltd.
In his reaction, the Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air, Roy Ilegbodu criticized the grounding as abrupt, arguing that it was done without prior warning or consultation.
On August 2, the NCAA clarified that the grounding of Arik Air’s aircraft did not equate to a suspension of the airline’s overall operations.
Aviation unions later urged President Bola Tinubu to direct aviation agencies to lift the embargo on four of Arik Air’s aircraft, citing increased frustration among passengers and growing challenges within the country’s air travel sector.
