Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday disrupted Arik Air’s operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja over debts estimated at over N1.2billion.
As a result of the development, FAAN denied the airline’s staff access to their duty post making it impossible to process passengers for departures out of Abuja.
Also, the airline’s 13 scheduled flights to different parts of the country were automatically cancelled with hundreds of passengers going through excruciating time trying to take alternative airlines to their destinations.
Banji Ola, spokesperson of Arik, admitted to journalists that “the latest action by FAAN may not be unconnected with allegation of debt FAAN claimed Arik Air owed.
FAAN, which owns and operates the airports in the country, had made several attempts to get Arik to service the debts which covered parking and landing cost of its aircraft in several of the airports.
“The airline has described the debt figure by the agency as fictitious and malicious and Arik Air insists that it does not owe FAAN any money since the agency’s charges are paid in advance (pay-as-you-go basis),” Ola said.
“ This has been the practice for over two years when all the aviation agencies introduced pay-as-you-go for their services. The bogus debt claimed by FAAN is , therefore, is unacceptable to Arik Air,” Ola added.
Chief Osita Chidoka, minister of Aviation, had earlier stepped into the lingering debt issue between FAAN and Arik Air and had directed that a firm of auditors be engaged to reconcile the books.
“This process has not been concluded before the latest action by FAAN this Thursday morning,” Ola said.
“Since about 10:50 am when the Minister of Aviation directed the FAAN Managing Director to allow Arik Air access into the terminal, the directive was yet to be complied with by FAAN,” he added
Ola apologised for the inconvenience the FAAN action may have caused its esteemed guests saying the safety and comfort of passengers remain the bedrock of the airline’s operations. “The management of Arik Air is taking steps to guide against this kind of action in the future,” he added.