Arik Air Expands Operation

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday Janaury 18, 2011
Arik Air Limited, a privately owned Nigerian commercial airline, says it is committed to setting new standards in the aviation industry on the African continent.

As a result, the owner of Arik Air has invested over 130 million dollars to ensure that the company becomes a preferred airliner on the continent.

At a media briefing in Accra over the weekend, the Communications Directorate of the airline said Arik Air started modestly but has now grown to become the largest commercial airline carrier in Nigeria in less than a decade.

According to the Communication Directorate, following the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, Arik Air Chairman, Sir Arumemi-Ikhide bought a hawker jet aircraft, which was being used to serve business people in the Nigerian oil industry but soon became a hot cake.

According to them, Arik Air acquired assets of the defunct Nigeria Airways and transformed the assets into state-of-the-art facility before officially inaugurating the airline within seven months after the acquisition.

It then went on to inaugurate Arik Air International in London in 2007 to develop worldwide routes to ensure that Arik Air “delivers truly global airline with world class standards.”

The Communication Directorate said on December 15, 2008, Arik Air successfully launched its first long haul flight between Lagos and Heathrow, London, flying daily with a newly acquired Airbus A340-500.

“The aircraft offers 36 premier class and 201 economy class seats. Premier class passengers enjoy super flat beds equipped with 17-inch monitors and a new generation in-built massage system. It also has a communal area which comprises a bar lounge, sofas and a seat-free space for socializing. In fact, the aircraft offers the highest degree of operational flexibility and unmatched passenger comfort.”

According to the directorate, Arik Air in 2009, commenced operations in Africa, first from Lagos to Johannesburg in South Africa and then the West African sub-region including Freetown Sierra Leone, Dakar Senegal, Banjul the Gambia, Coutonou Benin and now Accra, Ghana.

It said it is also operating a non-stop three times a week shuttle between Lagos and New York in partnership with Hi Fly Transportes Aeros S.A. of Portugal and have also launched non-stop services between London Heathrow and Abuja.

“Arik Air has also obtained traffic rights to many other international destinations across the globe including Houston, Beijing, Paris and Sao Paulo and this is the beginning of our international expansion.”

“Additional brand new aircraft joined the growing fleet which now stands at 26 aircraft. By September 2010, Arik Air had successfully flown over five million passengers in a network of 27 domestic, regional and international destinations.”

The directorate said Arik Air has already obtained International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) certification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).