A NEW entrant into the aviation industry, Arik, is to absorb some former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways as the airline plans its inaugural flight before the end of next month.
The airline plans to operate domestic and international routes when eventually designated.
The airline has already employed some aircraft engineers of the former national carrier still regarded "as very good".
Also, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Irene Chigbue and the Liquidator of Nigeria Airways, Mr. Babington Ashaye will today officially do the transfer of Nigeria Airways headquarters to Arik.
Some of the assets to be handed over to the new airline include a gigantic administrative building, aircraft hangers, maintenance section, and some useful aircraft parts, valued at over $2 million.
The Guardian learnt that the airline is willing to absorb experienced workers from other airlines and those from Nigeria Airways who are still useful to the airline's operations.
The airline, The Guardian learnt, has started recruiting cabin crew and other workers.
Some of the workers have been redundant since the controversial liquidation and sale of Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) assets described as "undervalued."
Some of them had protested the non-payment of their severance benefits and other entitlements, and the demolition of the official quarters of top officials of the former airline.
They vowed not to relinquish their quarters until all their entitlements were paid.
However, Ashaye had said that all the entitlements of the workers had been paid, just as he denied that his firm had a hand in the demolition of the quarters.
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article14