Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest carrier has countered the effort to de-market it by those that may have axe to grind with the company, claiming that the airline does not adhere to the maintenance schedule of its fleet.
The rumour, which is being spread on social media, claims the airline does not effectively maintain its aircraft.
But Arik has denounced the allegation and said it has been leading the resurgence of Nigerian civil aviation by committing to being a quality airline adhering and operating to international safety and operational standards, using modern aircraft and having high maintenance and safety standards.
This is evident in the airline achieving the stringent IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) four consecutive times with the last two audits cleared successfully without any findings. This achievement has also earned Arik Air, EIOSA (Enhanced IATA Operational Safety Audit) making it the only airline in West and Central Africa region to have such certification.
The airline operates the youngest fleet in West Africa with an average hull age of 7.8 years and has an existing contract with world renowned maintenance providers such as Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cityline under full “turnkey” maintenance service contracts and other leading maintenance service providers such as SAMCO Engineering, South African Airways (SAA) Technical and Ethiopia Engineering.
“Arik Air also maintains a well-stocked spares parts store with market value of over 250 Million USD.
The Maintenance/ Engineering department of Arik Air has been audited severally by external auditors from the oil and gas sector who have attested to the airline’s provision of a safe and reliable aircraft operation, first class planning, efficient spares holding, whilst increasing aircraft utilization with no compromise on safety.
“This department is responsible for reliability monitoring, original equipment manufacturers service letters and American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) notifications, ensuring Arik Air’s fleet is maintained according to standards complimenting Airworthiness at all times.
Arik Air has in its 10 years of operation safely transported about 20 million passengers across its network of 19 domestic, 10 regional and three international destinations.
“We appeal to our guests to ignore any message alleging that the airline’s aircraft are not well maintained. This is the handiwork of mischief makers and one of our staff whose appointment was terminated on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 for misconduct and fraud,” the airline said.
Industry experts allude such misrepresentation of the airline to the bitterness that pervades the aviation industry, the dog-eat-dog competition and the unscrupulous attempt to undermine one another by the airlines.
Last Sunday there was rumour that Dana Air flight had crashed. Fear gripped everyone who heard the rumour and the uncertainty about air travel in Nigeria began to crawl back into the mind of Nigerians. But at the end of the day there was no accident; it was just a mere hoax.
Some veterans in the industry say that if the airlines do not come together and work for each other’s interests these issues ignited by dirty competition, vindictiveness would continue to divide the airlines, noting that working together would give them better mileage and greater trust from their customers.
