Nigeria’s new airline, Arik Air, will formally open the doors of its brand new CRJ900 aircraft to customers tomorrow, signaling a new dawn in the aviation industry.
The airline, having successfully completed its comprehensive test flights and fulfilled all the technical and procedural requirements of the NCAA, will take off at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport at 6.50am for Abuja.
A statement last night by the Head of Communications of the airline, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, said the airline’s Managing Director, Mr. Michael McTighe, was looking forward to welcoming passengers on board the Tear Rubber aircraft.
“Our comprehensive test flights were very successful. We covered Lagos-Abuja, Lagos-Benin, Lagos-Enugu, Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar to perfect the skills of the crew and the cabin staff in operational and technical flexibility, check-in on-board service, baggage handling and customer service. Our crews are familiar with our destinations. This is in line with our vision of delivering an efficient, safe and reliable airline.�
Meanwhile, Ogunleye has explained that the former Managing Director of the airline, Mr. Alex van Elk, was leaving for his native country, Holland, because his contract with the airline had ended.
Contrary to the impression that van Elk was leaving the airline over alleged disagreement with the state of the newly-acquired aircraft, Ogunleye told THISDAY over the telephone on Saturday that Elk contract was to lay the foundation for a solid airline and that he had successfully done this.
“Van Elk who was saddled with the responsibility of building a modern airline that would be the pride of the nation began the process by assembling a team of experts from all continents of the world culminating in the successful launch of the airline on October 10”, he said.
Ogunleye stated that the former MD guided the company through the process of acquiring three new aircraft, securing the Air Operator’s Licence, AOC, and the comprehensive test flights of the airline’s new aircraft.
The former Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Michael McTighe, has been appointed the new managing director of the airline.
Arik Air will start formally tomorrow with the commencement of commercial flights to Abuja. The airline took delivery this month of three CRJ aircraft made by Bombadia of Canada though it has some other aircraft in the fleet that are refurbished.