Arik
Air, the largest Nigerian carrier taken over last week by the Federal
Government would require N10bn to return to full and uninterrupted flight
operations.
The
Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) which took over the management
of the airline on behalf of the government said it discovered "deep rooted
rot" at Arik Airlines.
The
new management in a statement on Sunday said "The situation is so bad that
only nine aircrafts out of the 30 in the fleet of the airlines is operational.
21 of them have either been grounded, gone for C-check in Europe among other
forms of challenges.
"As
if these problems are not enough, the airline does not have money to procure
aviation fuel for the nine operational aircrafts because no dealer wants to
sell aviation fuel to Arik if it is not on cash-and-carry basis. This also
calls for public understanding because flight schedules may be realigned based
on the nine aircrafts that are available, technically sound and ready for
flight operation".
It was
also discovered that Arik also owes its technical partners and also in
perpetual default in its lease payments and insurance premium, leading to
regular and embarrassing squabbles with different business partners, which
accounts for why 21 aircrafts is off the fleet for different reasons.
All
these problems in addition to huge staff salaries, which have remained unpaid
for 11 months; vendors that supply different items to Arik Airlines that are
also owed meant that Nigerians may have to tarry-a-while to allow the new
management clean up the huge mess at the airline before Arik would finally
resume uninterrupted flight.
The
new Chief Executive Officer of Arik Airlines, Capt. Roy Ukpebo Ilegbodu, a
veteran aviation expert under the receivership of Mr. Oluseye Opasanya, SAN
however reassured Nigerians that these issues; though daunting, would be
gradually resolved to enable Arik Airlines, which carries about 55% of the load
in the country recover the 21 aircrafts.
He
maintained that the recent intervention was in the best interest of all
stakeholders, the general public, workers, creditors and other aviation
interest groups in the country.
DailyTrust
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