Nigeria’s major airline, Arik Air has introduced new service between Nigeria and Gabon as part of the airline’s expansion programme.
Commencing February 12, 2016, the airline said it would be flying from both Nigerian cities of Lagos and Port Harcourt to Libreville, Gabon.
It noted that this would be the first international route launch in 2016 by any airline in Nigeria and also the first in the series of new destinations Arik is planning for its 10th anniversary year.
The Lagos-Port Harcourt-Libreville service will operate thrice weekly on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday out of Lagos/Port Harcourt and on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday out of Libreville.
The outbound flight departs Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 5:20pm and arrives in Port Harcourt International Airport at 6:30pm.
The flight thereafter continues onto Libreville, leaving Port Harcourt at 7:15pm and arriving in Libreville International Airport at 8:30pm.The inbound fight departs Libreville at 7:30am and arrives in Port Harcourt at 8:45am.
The flight then leaves Port Harcourt at 9:30am and arrives into Lagos at 10:40am. All times are local.
Libreville thus becomes Arik Air’s second destination in Central Africa and the 13th international destination. Arik Air is the only airline to offer a direct service between Nigeria and Gabon.
Arik observed that Gabon being a notable trade center in the Gulf of Guinea, is haven for Nigerian traders especially those from the South Eastern region. It is also home to a ship building industry, brewing industry and it exports raw materials such as wood, rubber and cocoa from the main port.
Commenting on the development, Arik Air’s Managing Director, Chris Ndulue said, “This is Arik Air’s 10th year of operation and a perfect time to introduce new destinations. Connecting Lagos and Port Harcourt with Libreville is a perfect synergy because the three cities are important trade centers in West/Central Africa. Travelers on this route have a lot to look forward to in terms of safety and quality service which is a hallmark of Arik Air.”
Arik Air is Nigeria and West Africa’s largest airline and operates mainly from two hubs at Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.
Arik operates a fleet of 28 state-of-the art regional, medium haul and long haul aircraft including two Airbus A340-500 making the airline the first operator of the wide bodied aircraft in Africa.
The airline currently serves 19 destinations across Nigeria as well as Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), Dakar (Senegal), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia), Cotonou (Benin Republic), Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire), Douala (Cameroon), Luanda (Angola), London Heathrow (UK), Johannesburg (South Africa) and New York JFK (USA).
It operates a combined number of about 120 daily flights from its hubs in Lagos and Abuja, and has been Africa’s fastest growing airline for the last five years.
