Home » Aviation: Lagos-Accra route becoming a burden to Passengers, as Arik resumes operation

Aviation: Lagos-Accra route becoming a burden to Passengers, as Arik resumes operation

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Arik

By Friday Nwosu
The temporary suspension of operations by Nigeria’s biggest and West Africa’s largest carrier Arik Air yesterday has left passengers travelling to Accra and other West African countries to source for alternative route.

The lucrative Accra route once operated and dominated by Nigerian airlines, like Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Dana Airline and Medview Airlines is suddenly becoming a burden to passengers in the country due to economic and financial crisis bedeviling the sector forcing airlines to scale down on their operations.

Although Arik as resumed its Accra-Lagos operation it might take some time to address the back log of cancelled flights.

Arik Air had suspended it operation due to issues bordering on expired insurance documentations. The airline said that it was working around the clock to resolve the necessary documentation, which has been a challenge due to the long weekend holidays of the Ed al Adha.

Passengers travelling to Accra and other West African nations are in for a tough time as no airline ply the lucrative Lagos Accra route.

Before now, Arik Air, Dana, Medview and Aero Contractors dominated the West African market, connecting to cities like Dakar, Banjul, Freetown, Monrovia.

Arik Air’s, Communication Mamager, Mr Adebanji Ola said the suspension of operation by the airline may continue for the next few days, pending approval of aircraft documentation related to insurance renewal.

He noted that Arik airline was working round the clock to resolve the necessary documentation. According to him all flights scheduled for September 13 was cancelled.

He added that the airline would get in touch with passengers to provide an update on rescheduling of their flights.

“This situation is likely to continue for the next few days until such time that the National Insurance Commission, NICOM, approves a waiver on a priority basis for the new insurance company to renew the policy” he said.

Adebanji gave an assurance to members of the public that the airline was fully committed to returning to its normal operations and apologized for the inconvenience caused it passengers.

AWA to the rescue

awaThe absence of Nigerian carriers on the route left Ghanaian carrier, Africa World Airline (AWA) as the only players on the route.

AWA flies twice daily weekly flight on the Lagos-Accra route except on Saturdays and may even increase it frequency on the lucrative route.

According to Atqnews.com, the only airline from Ghana that has survived the competition with Nigeria Carriers, Africa World Airline has consistently increased its frequency on the Lagos-Accra route following the suspension of flights by Nigerian carriers.

AWA would be the first Ghanaian Carrier to survive the Brutal competition on the Lagos Accra route. Other attempts by Antrak in the past had failed. The oversupply of available seats on the route helped depress the market coupled with shrinking economic activity in Nigeria. Dana had started a daily evening flight to Accra with an MD 83 aircraft to join Medview that had a daily morning flight using a B737-400. Arik flies twice daily with a B737-700 next gen. and Aero twice daily with a B737-500. There were flights by ASKY from Lagos via Lome to Accra using B737-800.

There daily flights from Abuja by Arik to Accra. Outside Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt this was the sweet route for Nigeria Airlines. It was a bragging right for an Airline to initiate a flight to Accra. But with a supply of over 1500 seats daily the competition was intense. The Land route had ABC and Chisco doing 3 or 4 buses a day to Accra along with other coach services. More than 100,000 Nigerians hit the Accra route in a year.
Lure of Ghana

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