Arik Air resumed flight operations on Thursday after successfully resolving a $2.5 million debt dispute with Atlas Petroleum, which had led to three of the airline’s aircraft being grounded by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) following a court order.
The announcement was made by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday.
Achimugu stated that the resumption of the airline’s flight operations was facilitated by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, successfully resolved the impasse between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum.
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, and the DG of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo has successfully resolved the impasse between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum.
“By this resolution, Arik Air will begin operations today.
“The priority of the Minister and the NCAA remains to ensure safe and secure air travel for all passengers.
“Arik Air passengers are currently checking in for scheduled flights,” Achimugu’s post read.
Corroborating Achimugu’s announcement, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, CEO of Arik Air Ltd., confirmed in a Thursday statement that the airline would resume flight operations on August 8.
He assured customers of a smooth return to service, highlighting that the entire Arik Air team had worked tirelessly during the brief pause to enhance the travel experience.
Backstory
- Arik Air owed Atlas Petroleum International Limited the sum of $2.5 million, leading Atlas to take Arik to court.
- On July 19, 2024, the FCT High Court enforced a court order that scheduled three of the airline’s aircraft—5N-MJF, 5N-MJQ, and 5N-BKX—for a public auction on July 26, 2024, if the debt was not paid.
- Arik’s appeals to higher courts, including the Supreme Court, were dismissed. An order from June 26, 2024, confirmed the attachment of Arik’s aircraft.
- Although Arik obtained an ex parte order to halt further execution, the aircraft remained grounded to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive and preserve the dispute’s subject matter.
- Subsequently, upon court order, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded these three Arik Air aircraft pending the case’s determination by the Supreme Court.
- However, the NCAA’s grounding of the three aircraft did not translate to the suspension of the airline’s operations with its remaining fleet. Arik Air continues to operate its other aircraft and maintain its flight schedules.
