…Promises Normalcy in Operations
It has been a challenging time for the West Africa’s
largest airline operator, Arik Air. The airline take some time to explain what
it is going through in terms of operational hitches. According to the airline: “Due
to the damage to Arik Air’s A330-200 aircraft (registration 5N-JIC) by a ground
handling company at JFK International Airport, New York, USA a few days ago,
the airline had to invest in chartering a B767-300ER aircraft from a European
charter operator to minimize the disruption and inconvenience to booked
passengers on its Lagos-New York JFK service. This arrangement was put in place
to cover for the period until the return to service of our A330-200 aircraft on
28 December, 2016.”
Arik Air explained that the “Lagos-New York flight which
was scheduled to be operated by the charter company and depart Lagos on
Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at 11:00am could not operate due to the closure of
Lagos airspace for several hours due to bad weather (poor visibility). Despite
the airline’s repeated appeals to the charter operator to operate the next
fight, they insisted on positioning their crew and aircraft back to Europe on
Wednesday, December 28, 2016.”
With the issue of chartered aircraft B767-300ER arrangement
hitting the rock, Arik Air said it “immediately commenced the ferry back of its
A330-200 aircraft from New York to Lagos on Wednesday, 28 December 2016 and
this aircraft is expected to arrive Lagos on Thursday, 29 December 2016 at
02:45am. Passengers originally booked on Arik Air’s flight W3 107 on Tuesday,
27 December 2016 from Lagos to New York JFK will now be accommodated to travel
on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at 06:00am.”
The stranded passengers could not accept the situation while the airline was trying to proffer solution to the challenge of availability
of aircraft on Lagos-New York route. “While these negotiations were on with the
charter operator and Arik Air was reviewing available alternate options,
unfortunately, some of the New York bound passengers on Wednesday, 28 December
2016 prevented the airline from checking in passengers booked for other
destinations resulting in significant delays and cancellations of some flights.
These passengers also delayed the check-in of Lagos-London Heathrow flight of
Wednesday, 28 December 2016 despite making them aware that London Heathrow
airport enforces a night curfew and the consequential impact on other passengers
of such unlawful disruptions.”
Lamenting the unavailability of security cover by Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria’s Aviation Security (AVSEC) during the disruption of check-in process at the
Lagos Airport, Arik said “No assistance was available from the Aviation
Security (AVSEC) department of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
to contain the disruptive passengers and ensure they act in an orderly and
civilized manner.”
Arik Air appeals for the understanding of passengers
booked on the Lagos-New York service and assures regular operations will be
normalised from Thursday, 29 December 2016.
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