Aviation workers ground Arik flights over N12.5b debt

The flight operations of Arik Air were on Wednesday grounded by aviation workers over a N12.5 billion owed the Federal Government by the airline.
Arik’s operations were largely affected in Abuja and Lagos by the decision of the workers to ensure payment of the debt owed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
Members of the FAAN branch of the National Union of Air Transport Employees carried out the action.

The union members were said to have arrived as early as 6.30am at the departure hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, checking the tickets of all travellers and preventing those scheduled to fly with Arik from accessing the Departure Hall.
When it became obvious to the airline that the unionists would not budge, it suspended flights.
The airline’s spokesperson, Banji Ola, confirmed the development.
Ola said the FAAN workers’ union blocked the operations of Arik Air at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos.
He said workers of the airline were prevented from resuming at their duty posts, thereby disrupting the day’s operations.
Ola said: “The action by the workers’ union was connected with the longstanding and unsubstantiated claim by 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.”
For several months, the management of Arik Air and FAAN had been meeting to reconcile payment accounts between the two institutions.
The Arik spokesman said the reconciliation process was still ongoing until the latest action by the union.
The General Secretary of NUATE, Olayinka Abioye, also confirmed the grounding of Arik Air’s operations.
Abide said it was due to the N12.5 billion debt owed FAAN by Arik Air.