The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Arik Air

  • Arik Air investigates theft of aviation fuel at Lagos Airport

    Arik Air investigates theft of aviation fuel at Lagos Airport

    Arik Air said yesterday that it has begun investigations into the theft of aviation fuel from a truck at the domestic wing of the Lagos Airport.

    The airline clarified that its aircraft was not involved in the siphoning of aviation fuel at the airport.

    A statement by its spokesman Mr Adebanji Ola, the three persons arrested at the airport were not siphoning aviation fuel from an Arik Air aircraft but from a fuel tank belonging to one of the major oil marketing companies.

    He said Arik Air investigations reveal that the three persons carried out the illegal duty in connivance with the truck driver of one of the major oil marketers.

    The Arik Air official said reports making the round that the three persons siphoned fuel from an aircraft belonging the airline is not true as Arik Air does not have any aircraft with registration number 5N MID .

    Ola said: “Investigations have revealed that the three people caught at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos in the early hours of Sunday were siphoning JET A1 (aviation fuel) from a fuel truck and not from an Arik Air aircraft as previously reported in a newspaper. Furthermore, the airline does not have an aircraft with registration number 5N MID in its fleet.

    “The suspects were arrested by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel after illegally draining fuel from the truck belonging to one of the major oil marketers at the ramp. It was discovered that the deal was done in connivance with the truck driver.

    Arik Air management hereby absolved the airline of any complicity in the theft. The airline has an excellent safety record and will continue to operate with the highest safety standards it is known for.”

    Aviation minister Osita Chidoka in his facebook wall at the weekend confirmed that three persons were arrested for stealing fuel from an aircraft.

  • Arik Air spreads wings to Abidjan

    Arik Air will from  February16 begin scheduled flight operations from Lagos, Nigeria to the Ivoirian city, Abidjan via Cotonou, Benin Republic. The new service will operate four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

    On Mondays, the outbound flight will depart the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos  and arrive at Cotonou International Airport .

    The new Lagos-Abidjan service will be operated using Arik Air’s state-of-the-art Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft configured to carry 10 Business Class and 64 Economy class passengers.

    Arik Air’s Managing Director/Executive Vice President, Mr Chris Ndulue  said the new service will provide more travel options for Nigerians.

    “Abidjan is a preferred destination for Nigerian businessmen and women. Arik Air’s foray into this commercial city will make life a lot easier for our guests who have been yearning for flight connection between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. This service will further underline Arik Air’s position as West Africa’s premier airline.”

    The Lagos-Abidjan service is Arik Air’s first new route in 2015.Abidjan thus becomes Arik Air’s seventh destination in West Africa.

     

  • Arik increases flight frequency

    Arik Air has  announced plans to provide extra flights to key domestic destinations .

    The extra flights, the airline said, is response to yearnings of passengers  wishing to travel to various destinations across the country to celebrate Christmas and New Year .

    According to the spokesman of the airline, Mr Banji Ola, the  additional flights will extend from this week to next .

    He said: “ Instead of the average 120 daily flights normally operated by Arik Air, the airline will during the festive period, increase its daily flights to an average of 140.

    The key domestic routes that will be affected during the festive season are Enugu, Owerri, Calabar, Lagos, Abuja and Asaba.  On the mentioned days, Arik Air will increase the frequency on the Lagos-Owerri route from twice to thrice daily while Abuja-Owerri will increase from one to twice daily.

    Similarly, the frequency on the Abuja-Enugu route will increase to twice daily, Abuja-Calabar to twice daily and Lagos-Asaba to twice daily.”

    Arik Air had earlier last month increased the frequencies on some other key domestic routes like Lagos-Calabar, Lagos-Enugu, Lagos-Benin, Abuja-Benin, Lagos-Kano, Abuja-Kano, Abuja-Asaba and Abuja-Ibadan.

    Also speaking, the  Air Managing Director/Executive Vice President, Mr. Chris Ndulue, said the additional flights were necessitated by the need to ensure that many Nigerians have the opportunity of sharing the joy of the season with those closest to them.

  • Arik Air launches travel pack

    Arik Air has launched  in Lagos a ‘travel package’ product christened Arik Explorer ,  which incorporates airline seats with hotel and other ancillary options, such as car hire and travel insurance.

    The Arik Explorer offers travel package at two levels: ‘Premium’ and ‘Affordable’.

    The offering will be for both outbound and inbound travel from Lagos and other destinations serviced by Arik Air. The packages can be tailored to suit the needs of the airline’s guests.

    According to the Managing Director of Arik Explorer, Mr. Kencho Omojafor, the business strategy of the company will revolve around the need to provide quality service to the various target customers with the view to fully satisfy their needs.

    This will be undertaken through the recruitment of a professional team and the provision of good quality custom-designed travel packages, catering to the guest’s particular needs.

    “We will continuously provide enjoyable quality excursions/trips/hotels on time and on budget, develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time, and establish a market presence that assures short-term and long-term profitability, growth and success”.

    Arik Explorer’s product will be segmented into premium market searching for luxury and convenience,  affordable weekend packages and short breaks during the week, special interest packages including group bookings, company retreats as well as business and leisure travellers to Arik Air destinations.

    “Arik Explorer will establish a reputation as a differentiated, specialty provider of city/adventure travel and excursions. We will also provide unparalleled service to our local and international tourists, to Nigeria, The West Coast and beyond,” Omojafor stressed.

  • Arik offers miles on Dubai route

    Arik Air  has rolled out mouth-watering incentives for its loyal guests on the Lagos-Abuja-Dubai route.

    Tagged, “connecting you to higher rewards,” the offer,  according to the Managing Director,  Chris Ndulue, is specifically tied to the airline’s Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP), Arik Affinity Wings.

    The offer, Ndulue said, would enable guests travelling in the Premier Business Class on the Dubai route to earn double miles while those travelling in the Economy class will earn 50 per cent  more miles.

    Ndulue said about the offer: ” Guests  who buy four Business Class return tickets to Dubai will get upgraded to Affinity Wings’ exclusive Gold membership level. The Gold membership is the highest membership level in the Affinity Wings loyalty programme which offers the most programme benefits for guests who have acquired 600 points and above, by flying with Arik Air.

    “Guests who buy two Business Class return tickets to Dubai will get upgraded to the exclusive Silver membership level. The Silver membership is the second highest membership level for guests who have acquired up to 300 points through their travels with Arik Air and also enjoy some of the exclusive programme benefits.

    “Loyalty just got better with Arik Affinity Wings and our guests on the Dubai route are specially welcome to the world of more smiles as they enjoy bonus Affinity Miles. The more you fly Arik Air to Dubai, the more miles you accumulate to enjoy special  treats and discounts on future travels.’’

    ‘’ Every trip on Arik Air to Dubai puts extra smiles on the faces of our guests as they not only enjoy double miles but also take advantage of our generous baggage allowance  coupled with our traditional African hospitality and global safety standards.This is in line with our promise to ensure we constantly strive to enhance the service we offer our guests.”

  • Arik Air eyes Milan, Rome

    Arik Air eyes Milan, Rome

    Arik Air has commenced discussions with the government of Italy on how to consolidate the traffic approvals and bilateral rights  to enable it begin flights into Milan or Rome next year, its Chairman, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide has said.

    He spoke when the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Fulvio Rustico paid a courtesy visit to the airline.

    Rustico who was impressed with the facilities at the airline premises said the Italian government would be delighted to grant the domestic carrier the necessary approval to enable it implement the remaining 50 per cent of the bilateral air services agreement Nigeria signed with Italy on the Lagos, Milan , Rome routes.

    He described the airline as a formidable  carrier that would boost the economic and diplomatic relationship between the two countries .

    He said the airline has demonstrated capacity for growth as a link between African and Europe as the airline to watch.

  • Ebola: Arik suspends flights to Liberia, Sierra Leone

    Arik Air has said it would suspend flight operations to Liberia and Sierra-Leone following the first Ebola virus death officially confirmed in Lagos.

    This is disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Ola Adebanji, in Lagos.

    It said the suspension would be in force until further notice.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first Ebola virus death officially confirmed in Lagos involved a Liberian.

    He had flown into Lagos on a foreign airline from Monrovia via Lome in Togo last week.

    The statement said the flights suspension decision was a precautionary measure aimed at safeguarding the lives of Nigerians.

    “We are taking this important step as a concerned corporate citizen, bearing the interest of Nigerians at heart.

    “We acknowledge the steps the Federal Government of Nigeria is currently undertaking to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus,” it said.

    The statement said the airline felt compelled to take the business decision to immediately suspend flight services into the two Ebola virus-affected countries.

    It said this was due to its interest in the well-being of Nigerians.

  • Man ‘impersonates’ Arik Air staff

    Man ‘impersonates’ Arik Air staff

    The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Police Command yesterday arrested a man for allegedly parading himself as a staff of Arik Air.

    Police sources hinted that the suspect had been duping unsuspecting Nigerians around the airport premises in Ikeja, adding that he is being interrogated at the domestic police station near Arik Air headquarters.

    The suspect, it was learnt, is helping the police with useful information that would lead to the arrest of other persons involved in such criminal activities.

    Last Year, Arik Air donated a Toyota Hilux Pick-up van to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Police Command, for the improvement of security around the airport.

     

  • Arik explores flights to India

    Arik Air has begun exploring the possibility of introducing a direct service to India, following a recent visit from the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Ajjampur Rangalah Ghanashyam to the airline’s headquarters in Lagos.
    The High Commissioner was at the Arik Air Aviation Centre to explore opportunities on how to facilitate direct flights between Nigeria and India. Presently, there are no direct flights between the two countries, with travelers currently forced to board connecting flights through Addis Ababa, South Africa or Dubai.
    According to the High Commissioner, direct flights between Nigeria and India would boost business, tourism, save passengers flight time and reduce the stress of the journey.
    He said: “Direct flights are also important during medical emergencies, because direct movement of patients during emergencies would save a lot of lives.”

  • Arik Air makes history on US flight

    Arik Air has achieved another milestone in aviation, with the operation of its first Nigerian registered commercial aircraft to the United States in two decades.

    Before now, Arik Air was operating a wet leased aircraft with foreign registration into the US.

    Arik Air Senior Vice President (Operations)/Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi described the feat as a major achievement, not only for Arik Air, but also for the industry.

    “Arik Air is proud of this achievement and appreciates the support from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and all other stakeholders in the industry,” Captain Ado added.

    Last week, the airline operated its scheduled Lagos-New York flight using an A330-200 aircraft with registration number 5N-JID. The feat by Arik Air is outstanding because the operations of the flight was staffed by Nigerians.

    The airline’s latest milestone was the result of almost three years of preparation, during which the airline received the Part 129 approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was also awarded the Extended Range Twin Operations (ETOPS) approval.

    Arik Air started direct flight operations from Lagos to New York in November 2009, using its foreign registered A340-500 aircraft operated by Hi-fly of Portugal and it was the first direct flight between Nigeria and the United States to be operated by a Nigerian airline in the last decade.