In a statement Sunday, Dana Air said while it agreed with
AON on the challenges facing airlines in Nigeria, “we have taken a decision not
to join the suspension of flights on May 9, 2022.”
“We acknowledge that the present cost of jet A1 is
unsustainable and should not be passed to the flying public, we therefore call
on the government to act urgently to resolve these unending operational
challenges while Dana Air will continue to support every effort by the AON to
achieve a quick and peaceful resolution in the interest of our dear country
Nigeria,” Dana Air management said.
Airline operators had on Friday in a letter addressed to the
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
said they will halt operations from Monday, amidst an astronomical increase in
aviation fuel.
In reaction to the letter, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi
Sirika, pleaded with Nigerian airlines to suspend their planned shutdown of
operations from Monday over the increase of cost of aviation fuel from N190 to
N700 per litre.
The letter was signed by Serina Abdulmunaf, president,
Airline Operators Association, and jointly signed by the chief executive
officers of eight domestic airline operators, including Roy Ilegbodu, CEO,
Arik, Abdullahi Mahmood, CEO, Aero Contractors and even Sukh Mann, Deputy CEO,
Dana Air.
However, the managements of some of the domestic airlines,
including Ibom Air, who had signed the aforementioned letter disagreed with the
plan to discontinue operation on Monday.
Arik Air and Aero Contractors too
Similarly, in a joint statement on Sunday evening, the
managements of Arik Air Limited and Aero Contractors said both airlines will be
operating all their scheduled flights on Monday, May 9, 2022.
“The management of Arik Air Limited (In Receivership) and
Aero Contractors (In Receivership) wish to bring to the notice of the traveling
public that both airlines will be operating all their scheduled flights on
Monday, May 9, 2022,” the statement partly reads.
It said both managements fully identify with and endorse the
efforts of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to bring about a conducive
operating environment for Nigerian carriers as the current price of JET A1 is
unsustainable and could result in the untimely demise of most airlines.
However, the Airlines management noted that “we have
assurances that the government is looking at the issues raised by the AON and
will come up with a decision that will be in the best interest of the industry
and the traveling public.”
“Passengers who are booked to travel on both Arik Air and Aero Contractors tomorrow and beyond should proceed to their airports of departure to board,” the statement read.