Arik Air announces its first transatlantic route
 

Arik Air announces its first transatlantic route


Well done Arik!

congratulations :ok:

Who's certificate will it be on??

I'm wondering the same thing. The FAA lists Nigeria as a category 2 country meaning no ops into the USA. Anybody know?

I have nothing to do with Arik before anyone says anything ... long story how this handle came about!

However, I met a few Arik guys at the FAA seminar in Dakar earlier this year, which was an eye opener, those guys probably had more questions than the rest of us put together!

I too was wondering this morning how this had come about given Nigeria's status. It might have happened via the UK?? I'm trying to fathom this out myself but they do have quite a big back office set-up in the UK from all accounts.

Arik (who is not Arik!)

PS. I applaud them for getting there in such a short space of time though!!! Great news to see another African airline get into FAA space!

Iam sure its not with Arik's AOC. PS. Why are the A340 not reg 5N reg and reg CS. Makes you wonder!!!!
FAA would never allow a 5N reg aircraft in the USA (Space!!!!!!!!!!)

Arik will use CS-registered A345s for the flights to JFK. The aircraft are owned by Arik, but are dry-leased to Hifly and wet-leased back by Arik. This is actually a (long-term) solution to be able to operate flights to the USA.

The question is whether Arik will get its third A345 (CS-TQL) before 29 November. Otherwise they will have to switch the LOS-JNB flights to a B738 to free up a A345.

Arik will possibly wet-lease two A332s from Kingfisher. They will be used to open ABV-LHR and also deployed on the LOS-LHR/JNB legs. This will enable them to go daily to JFK with the A345s.

No futher long haul expansion should be expected before the B777s arrive in 2011.

Interesting is that you can only book a LOS-JFK flight on their website and not the other way round. :sad:

According with a couple of friends working for them, it will be CS registered aircraft (HiFly). 2 A345s until they get their own aircraft (???).

Portugese HiFly will be operating the flights for Arik.

I hear the reason you can't book JFK - LOS is simply because they aren't completely online. Agents can however book the JFK - LOS for you.

The NCAA and FAA are working together to upgrade Nigeria to Cat1, Arik will (one day) operate 5N aircraft to the USA

...
 

My view as hifly cabin crew flying for arik...dont think something will happen on time especially this JFK flight, but hope for the best :E

A little off the subject, but a friend of mine who is a contract pilot in Nigeria was coming home on a first class ticket, prepaid and booked through his company. The manager at the check in desk pulled him out of the line (he was one of the few European looking guys). Told him it would be $100 to put him on the flight. My friend said he had a 1st class ticket and wanted to speak to the manager. The guy said he was the manager, and that the flight was boarding soon. My friend said no at first. Sure enough, the flight boarded and the guy sold his ticket to another person right in front of him. When he went back and said ok I'll pay, the guy said the flight was full, and the next flight on that airline left in a week, but he could get him on a KLM flight for $75. My friend agreed and ended up flying back coach.

Nigeria is one the most crooked countries I have ever experienced (there have been a few). I hope Arik Air does very well, but I can't even imagine the red tape and payoffs to try and get anything done there. Best of luck gentlemen.

@ Cruiseclimb

Please don't protect the 'guilty'. Until u give more solid info sounds like a lie.

Worth airline flies on a weekly basis between Nigeria and wherever your friend was going that has any first class worth anything? :confused:

$100
 

Cruise climb either this is a result of your Imagination or your friend was lying:= to get off some kind of trouble, What is the Airlines Name:confused::confused::confused: Nigeria may be crooked but a lot has improved i am amazed with the speed your friend got a confirmation on KLM ..Your friend has more explanations to do

Hear, hear !!!! May they have tailwinds both ways.

Mr Smith and 9jarep,

Don't shoot the messenger because you don't like the story. It was a story conveyed to me by my sim partner when I told him I had been there flying as a contractor a while back. I never mentioned Worth Airlines..?? Everytime I've been to Nigeria, I've been extorted for money over and over again, it's not just a fine art there.. it's just how things are done. So gentlemen, please get off your high horses... You're not going to convince me that everything there is roses and this could never happen.... :cool: I've had similiar things happen to me in cabs, hotels, you name it.. If you look a certain way, you may be expected to pay a little more.

Cruiseclimb it is NOT the only way to do things in Nigeria. It usually happens because at the first refusal the westerner thinks...........ohhhh I have to offer money. If the same guy was in Europe he would either accept that 'No' meant no, or he would argue the case and probably still lose his battle.

Westcoaster, you may want to research your facts further. There are no restrictions on 5N A/C flying into Europe and 127.3 is not the only ATC freq.available when flying btw Los, Phc, and Abv.

Cat 1
 

If Air space safety is one of the criteria for Cat 1, Why are American cariers flying into Nigeria? United have announced commencement into LOS for next year. Nigeria does not have the best of airspace or facilities due bad leadership, yes.

I still wonder why the yankees can still fly into such environment and wont allow 5N into theirs even with their yankees better facilities?:ugh:

Specialist FAA security equipment, same deal at Dakar

Westcoaster,the fact that Arik uses european registered A340s to operate the LON route does not mean 5N A/C are not allowed to operate to Europe.It may interest you to know that even Arik sometimes operate the LON.route with 5N registered B737NG when the A340s are AOG. Bellview has always operated their LON flights with 5N registered B767. Finally,even though the ARIK A340s are portuguese registered,the pilots ,are from different countries, Nigeria inclusive.

Its amazing how people who dont have the slightest idea about whats going on in Nigeria, come on pprune and slag off the place regardless of the facts. Clearly in Westcoaster case, a little bit of research would have prevented this embarrasment. Oh well, we live and learn

Westcoaster you really want to tell me you been there 5 years and you can make a statement like this "Hence the reason that a 5N is not flying into Europe or North America". How does Arik fly to JNB and London with the 5N 737 once in a while. Let me guess thats wet lease right. You may not feel embarrased for making such a silly comment, but I do mate. I think the authority with which you speak sort of fizzled out after that comment. I dont mind it when people mix up facts, but for heavens sake dont get defensive. Just pointing out a little porkie thats all. We can all be wrong every now and then. Put it behind you and move on.

Do you mean IOSA/IATA. For what I hear NO ,but they are working on it.

B3 until recently fly the B767 (5N) into London as well. I also believe the new B3 Metal is 5N and it would be flown into London soon with Nigerian crew.

Regards
DMan

Bellview's new 767-300ER 5N-BVA is ready for delivery ex-Shannon.

Stop making a fool of yourself man. 5N-registered aircraft are flying to Europe with no probs at all (Bellview, Arik 738, etc.). The reason Arik opted for wet-leased 340-500 for its interim solution is operational flexibility (US route) and minimizing operational risks during "incubation" period.

Good thinking on behalf of Arik Air for using CS reg aircraft. Gets there foot in the USA market.

i recall that Bellview pulled out of london,because the aircraft got repoessed,it was a 5N ,and it flew daily sorties in and out of heathrow,twice with me as a passenger.

The inbound bird set to resume ops is 5N

ARIK,is known to use the NG,every now and then,my sister been a pax on an NG flight once. It was 5N

VK has almost on several occasions,flown the classic to gatwick,when the 767,gave them tech issues,they are all 5N

Westcoaster,its not on the pages of PPRUNE that they determine 5N destinations,so listen to RANI.

There is no major european destination,that 5N,cannot fly into.Dont confuse the lack of a scheduled flight to such places,as a ban on 5N.

I know those more knowing than me will correct me, but aren't 5N aircraft allowed into Britain only, because Nigeria is a commonwealth?

Can 5N aircraft fly scheduled service (not repositioning / maintenance, etc) to any EU state?

Tony Williams the answer to your question is on 18Lefts last paragraph. However,it may be easier for you to enlighten us on why you think 5N reg. a/c are'nt allowed to operate scheduled services to ''non commonwealth'' EU countries.

Sure I will get bashed for saying it, but who cares, here it goes....Reg of the aircraft is not really the issue, the holder of the AOC has a little more to do with it. So the bickering of 5N aircraft is a little stupid.

Case in point....we will keep Nigeria, the rest of Africa, the EU and the US out of it for this case study.

Some airlines in the MidEast have aircraft with reg's all over the world....just look at some of the reg's on Saudi's aircraft.....Saudi is allowed to fly to many destinations world wide.....again, not the reg, the AOC.....

Is Arik allowed to fly aircraft on their AOC to the US, don't know for sure, but highly doubt it....if they can't, will they be able in the future, who the hell knows, I would be playing the powerball tomorrow if I could predict that....

Point is, 5N reg means nothing, it's got to do with the AOC..

@ cruiseclimb: Apologies if my response came out jumbled. My main response was to name the airline. It means nothing to come on here with such a story yet you 'protect' the airline by not naming it. Could it be you are scared of a lawsuit for slander? My other question was for you to mention which airline with a worthy 1st class actually flies to Nigeria/LOS once a week?

I quote "... the guy sold his ticket to another person right in front of him. When he went back and said ok I'll pay, the guy said the flight was full, and the next flight on that airline left in a week"

Sounds like a bold faced lie to me.

Meanwhile, Arik has announced ABV - LHR using 5N aircraft, so not sure what all the huff is about?

Rwedareyet, if you took time to read the entire thread you would have observed that Westcoaster made reference to 5N a/c not being allowed to fly to the US AND EU countries. You may also have observed that all those who replied his post picked on his inclusion of EU countries.At the moment 5N REG.A/C are not allowed to fly scheduled services to the US. As regards the US it is not a question of individual AOCs but the categorization of the country by the US Dept of transport.You ought to have achieved category 1 status as determined by the FAA and dept of transport to fly to the US.
Nigeria at the moment is working towards this.

Bellview is back
 

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']http://www.airliners.net/photo/Bellview-Airlines/Boeing-767-3P6-ER/1610419/L/&sid=9dd0f4b277a8a40d23e5963290b7a5a3[/FONT]

Furthermore:

http://www.african-aviation.com/inde...atid=16:africa

BA operate on the same route with a daily flight (B777).

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft offers 20 Business Class seats and 126 Economy Class seats offering personal audio and video entertainment including a choice of short programs and a selection of Hollywood and Nollywood movie favourites. :D

As for the US route; it's very much the FAA/TSA/DOT who need CAA Cat1 requirements to be met, not the airline etc - something not that easy for many African nations!

"I still wonder why the yankees can still fly into such environment and wont allow 5N into theirs even with their yankees better facilities?"

Short Answer: MONEY!!!
LHR id the most lucrative route in the entire route syster for BA
In the 14 Months that Delta has been operating ATL LOS this route has become the #1 revenue earner for delta.

SO NOW enter fron stage left. UNITED Airlines!!!.
So go figure..... It all plays into the nigerian government hands, beccause if the FAA does not change its status to category 1 next FEB, Lookout! cause the Nigerian government WILL cancel all their landing rights!!!!

The best is yet to come!!

Wouldn't mind that one bit. If Nigerian planes aren't good enough to land in US airports, one would expect their airports aren't good enough for US planes.

you know, safety and what not!!!

United most welcome.

Most of the traffic on European carriers out of Nigeria,ie AIRFRANCE/VS/BA/LUTHANSA/ALITALIA/TURKISH/IBERIA/KLM/IBERIA is mostly london/north america.

Fellow Nigerians,these ticket prices will definetly come down,if the europeans want to stay in the market.However Arik must join IATA,and must be able to connect pax beyond NY,less it will go the way of North American.

Kudos to Arik for ABV-LHR,good market,fantastic aircraft for the job.Should consider deploying the 800 on JNB as well.