There are strong indications that both Arik Air and Aero Contractors previously annexed by Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) due to observed bankruptcy are fully revived and need to be freed by the government agency as soon as possible. AMCON, a special purpose vehicle of the federal government to rescue and resuscitate ‘Too big to fall companies’ had taken over the companies when it was observed that they are going down.
However, issues bordering on staff emoluments and other financial obligations that are yet to be settled may remain the obstacles still standing between the two domestic airlines and AMCON over their final freedom from annexation.
In the case of Aero Contractors, recent operational expansion including the delivery of more aircraft into its fleet and expansion of route attests to the fact that the company is back from issues.
Business Hilights noticed further that Aero Contractors had experienced resurgence within the last two years with the expansion of its maintenance facility, which enabled it to conduct C-check on Boeing B737 classics after it was certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Part of the observable signs of stability include this week’s resumption in increased frequencies to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Asaba and Kano.
Besides, the airline management said with the increase in the number of aircraft, it has increased its flight schedule, so from September 17, it would increase its Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja, which is now daily flight.
Currently, the airline also operates three daily flights on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route and Lagos-Port Harcourt flights from three times weekly to daily flights even as it has also shut up its Lagos-Kano flights, which presently is five times a week, by adding another flight on Sundays, so from the above date it would be operating six times weekly to Kano from Lagos.
The company disclosed recently that effective September 15, 2018, it will increase its flights from Lagos to Asaba, which is presently six times weekly to daily flights.
Giving further insights on the stability being experienced by the company, Managing Director of the airline, Capt. Ado Sanusi, explained that the increase in operation was made possible by the new fleet of two Boeing B737-500 series, Boeing B737-400 series and Bombardier Dash 8-300 series. The airline has also added another aircraft – AW 139 Helicopter. So, it now has AW 139 and AS 365 that are fully operational.
Sanusi averred that “We have expanded our schedule because we have additional aircraft and we are also expecting more. When we deliver more aircraft, we would further increase our destinations. What we have done largely now is to increase our frequencies as we increased capacity.”
