President Bola Tinubu has been called upon by three major aviation unions to intervene in the grounding of Arik Air’s fleet, which has brought the airline’s operations to a halt and left thousands of passengers stranded, amidst a lingering financial dispute involving the airline.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) made the plea in an open letter to the President, urging him to use his office to instruct all involved parties to allow Arik Air to continue its operations while the issues are being resolved.
The grounding of the fleet was ordered by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, due to a Supreme Court order secured by Atlas Petroleum, which is owed $2.5m by Arik Air. However, the unions argued that the grounded aircraft do not belong to Arik Air directly but are under the lieu of secured creditors, and thus, should not be subject to any judicial attachment or grounding orders.
The unions reminded the President of an earlier correspondence from NAAPE, requesting urgent intervention regarding Arik Air Nigeria Limited’s financial dispute involving Engr. Prince Arthur Eze and Sir Johnson Arumemi. They stated that the grounding of Arik Air’s fleet has severe implications not only for the airline’s 2,000 workers and their 16,000 dependents but also for third-party vendors and service providers, including airports, aviation agencies, ground handlers, fuellers, and caterers.
Passengers of the airline have also expressed frustration over the silence from the airline regarding their fate in respect of booked flights. One passenger, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she bought tickets worth over N500,000 for her family but had yet to receive any information from the airline.
The unions urged President Tinubu to intervene in the matter, citing the national interest and a court order directing all parties to maintain the status quo. They called on the President to use his esteemed office to ensure that Arik Air is allowed to continue its operations while the issues are being resolved.
