Aviation Unions Call On Tinubu To Address Arik Air’S Grounding And Request The President’S Assistance.

Chinedu Eze

Labor unions within the Nigerian aviation industry have collectively addressed an open letter to President Bola Tinubu regarding the grounding of Arik Air’s aircraft by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. They are urging the President to intervene and evaluate the consequences that arise from the suspension of the airline’s operations.

In the open letter, which is dated August 1, 2024, and signed by Ocheme Aba (General Secretary of NUATE), Frances Akinjole (Principal Deputy General Secretary of ATSSSAN), and Olayinka Abioye (General Secretary of NAAPE), the unions express their disappointment over the suspension of Arik Air’s fleet of aircraft.

The unions also highlight that the aircraft in question are the property of secured creditors, and question how they could be taken over by another creditor. They argue that the aircraft should not have been used as collateral for the loan.

Furthermore, the unions emphasize that the grounding of the airline has caused distress and frustration among Arik Air’s passengers and has worsened the current challenges faced by the air travel industry in Nigeria.

The unions estimate that the suspension will affect approximately 2,000 direct staff members of the airline and around 16,000 dependents who rely on the airline. This will result in increased economic hardships for these individuals during an already challenging socio-economic period.

In addition to the impact on employees and their dependents, the grounding of Arik Air will also result in losses for third-party vendors and service providers such as airports, aviation agencies, ground handlers, fuellers, and caterers. These losses will have a significant negative effect on the earnings of these entities within the aviation industry.

The unions also draw attention to the negative consequences of a similar grounding of Dana Air in the past, for which the industry is still counting the losses. They describe the current situation as truly concerning and avoidable.

The unions appeal to President Tinubu to intervene in the crisis by summoning all parties involved, particularly government agencies, and instructing them to allow Arik Air to continue its operations while the issues are being resolved. They also highlight that there is a court order directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante regarding the matter.

The unions express their confidence in President Tinubu’s ambition to bring relief to the nation and request that his administration involves the unions in matters related to the aviation industry.

Last week, NAMA released a statement clarifying that it grounded four of Arik Air’s aircraft in accordance with a court order. This action was taken pending the resolution of the legal dispute between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum. The grounding was a result of a $2.5 million debt owed to Atlas Petroleum International Ltd.