Arik, IRS Grounded, Resume Operation
Arik Air and IRS were yesterday grounded for hours before they later resumed operation owing to their inability to offset debts running into billion of naira.
The revenue Task Force Committee set (TSC) up by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) temporary grounded the operations of the airlines as they tried to recover their debts trapped with the airlines.
The debt is said to be in the region of N5 billion. The action disrupted the operation of the two airlines as they could not carry out their flights plans.
The CBN says it is bailing out the airlines.
Investigation by Daily Trust revealed that out of the amount, Arik was said to have owed N1.8 billion on the domestic routes while the airline owes $126,000 on the international route. Information obtained by the paper also indicated that about 17 other airlines are said to be indebted to the aviation agencies to the tune of N5 billion being an accumulated ticket sales charges the airlines collected from passengers in trust for the agencies which they failed to remit eventually.
The grounded airlines would have remained suspended if not for the intervention of the minister of aviation, Fidelia Njeze who waded into the matter on behalf of the airlines, Daily Trust learnt.
However, the taske force pardoned the airlines after given a written commitment on how to pay which was backed by the minister's intervention.
Further findings showed that Aero was said to be indebted to the agencies to the tune of N942 million and $477,000 as at April ending.
The self grounded Bellview owes the agencies N121 million on its international operations, N87 million on the local scene and $66.7 million on the hajj operations, Ethiopian airlines owes $181,000 while Medview owes $1.3 million on its hajj operations.
Virgin Nigeria now Air Nigeria is indebted to the tune of $67.9 million, Air Meridian owes $697, 000, TAP Airline (Portuguese) $3 million and N5.8 million through the airlift of Christian pilgrims, Chanchangi owes N325 million and $10,621 on the domestic and regional operations respectively while Overland Airways also owes $12 million.
Meanwhile, efforts to get reactions from IRS Airline proved abortive as no media relation officers was available while Arik spokesperson, Mr. Banji Ola confirmed that the airlines early morning operations was disrupted but that the issue has been resolved and the Arik air has resumed operations.