The operations of Nigeria’s largest indigenous
airline, Arik Air, were disrupted by members of several aviation unions on
Wednesday morning over an alleged N12.4 billion debt owed the Federal Airport
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Scores of passengers were left stranded at the
General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Arik Air’s
operational base in Lagos, as early as 6.30 am as placards-carrying unionists
grounded the operation of the airline.
Some of the passengers were seen demanding a refund
from the airline staff while others were making alternative arrangements.
According to a travel news website, the Nigerian
Travel Flight Deck, the union members said they resorted to blocking the
airline from operating this morning after years of negotiating with the airline
over the debt failed to yield any result.
Some of the placards have captions like: “Arik Pay
Your 12.4bn Debt”, “FAAN can no longer pay salaries, pension, staff claims due
to your debt.” “Debtors pay all you owe FAAN now.” “Arik if you can’t pay don’t
fly”, “Arik pay your debt 12.4bn is too much.”
The General Secretary of the National Union of Air
Transport Employees (NUATE) Olayinka Abioye, in a statement stated: “We are
engaged in picketing exercise against Arik Air over its indebtedness to FAAN in
the sum of N12.5b”.
FAAN’s spokesperson, Yakubu Datti, confirmed the
picketing of the airline when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES but said he could not
provide additional information as the action was a union affair.
The spokesperson of Arik Air, Ola Banji, in an email
to Premiun Times, described the claim that it owed FAAN N12.4 billion as
“spurious”.
He added that the airline was already challenging
the claim of the union members at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
He said by blocking its operations, the workers were
taking laws into their hands.
“The action by the workers’ union is connected with
the long-standing and unsubstantiated claim by the Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria (FAAN) of spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency which
is now before a Federal High Court in Lagos at the instance of FAAN,” he said.
“For several months, the management of Arik Air and
FAAN have been meeting to reconcile payment accounts between the two
institutions. The reconciliation process is still ongoing until the latest
actions by the union.
“This is not the first time that FAAN workers’ union
will be taking the laws into their hands by disrupting operations of Arik Air.
“The current situation is deeply out of control of
Arik Air and the management of the airline has been compelled to suspend all
domestic operations for today. This will remain in force until such a time the
unfortunate situation is resolved.”
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