Arik Air resumes flight operations after unions’ crisis

The management of Arik Air has announced the resumption of flight operations following the shut down of its operations by some aviation unions on Monday.

Adebanji Ola, Arik Air’s public relations and communications manager, said all early morning flights operated as scheduled on Tuesday.

“All our early morning flights for Tuesday, September 15, 2020, operated in and out of Lagos on schedule and all other flights for the day will operate as scheduled,” Ola said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Once again, we apologize to all our valued customers for the disruption to their travel plans on Monday and assure them of our resolve to continually adhere to safety standards.

“Passengers with tickets who could not fly on Monday can modify such tickets at no extra cost to travel at any time.

“We thank our esteemed customers for their understanding, confidence and support during this period.”

The aviation unions who shut down Arik Air’s operation on Monday include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE)and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).

The unions had said the strike would continue indefinitely until their demands are met by the management of the airline.

Their demands included payment of outstanding salaries arrears, signing of conditions of service, remittance of pension, tax, and statutory deductions to the appropriate authorities, and to resolve other anti-labour issues.

The airline had said on Monday that it was already working with the federal ministry of labour and employment, ministry of aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to resolve all pending issues with the unions and a section of the staff.