Arik Air new route?

[Mr. Smith]

Rumor has it Arik will be announcing a new route soon. Any hints at what it is? Anyone have any clues?

[Capetonian]

It's going to operate a one way service from Lagos to here Airplane boneyard in the Mojave desert | Michael John Grist (http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/10/airplane-boneyard-in-the-mojave-desert/)

http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/mojave%20boneyard/mojave%20desert%20boneyard1.jpg

[Jeffdh17]

I believe it's Monrovia, Liberia.

[TonyWilliams]

Continental Airlines announced plans to launch daily nonstop flights between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria, its first destination in Africa.

The route is scheduled to begin 10 November 2011, pending government approval. In the winter, a 3:45 p.m. flight from Houston will arrive at 9:40 a.m. the next day, and an 11:10 a.m. flight from Lagos will arrive at 4:40 p.m. the same day. In the summer, flights would depart five minutes later from Houston and 25 minutes earlier from Lagos. Boeing's 787 Dreamliner would fly the route.

[TonyWilliams]

I wonder why Continental would be making this announcement (from June 2010) almost 18 months before launch?

Yes, Arik has had plans for some time to go to Houston, and that route makes perfect sense (oil industry town with huge "wealthy" Nigeria expat population).

Should Arik manage to successfully fly to this town, I think it would be one of the best international routes for the airline. How they would compete against Continental / United with a B787 would be interesting, however.

Since Arik will not be getting the B777 (according to the chairman directly), they know this route will no doubt be served by the A330/A340. Could this influence the 787 choice?

[TonyWilliams]

Lagos, Nigeria, 03 August, 2010 – Arik Air, West Africa’s leading airline, today announced further expansion of its regional African services with the inauguration of scheduled flights between Lagos and Monrovia, Liberia. The new service to Monrovia will commence on Thursday, August 12, 2010 and it will operate via Accra, Ghana.

[TonyWilliams]

August 3rd, 2010
............................................................ ....................................................
Emirates flight EK306 landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, marking the first superjumbo service to the Asian country.
The A380 landed in the world’s most populous country to a water cannon welcome at Beijing Terminal 3, with VIPs and press looking on.


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I think this will be pretty good competition, should Arik pursue it with a smaller Airbus model. Presumably, LOS to Beijing would be non-stop on Arik, and require a stop on Emirates in Dubai.

[LOS]

The new service to Monrovia will commence on Thursday, August 12, 2010 and it will operate via Accra, Ghana.Only twice a week, while Air Nigeria flies this route four times.

Since Arik will not be getting the B777Any prove? They don't seem to have the capital to do anything right now. According to rumours the airline will lease three more A332 and purchase A320s to compensate the third cancelled A345. What will they do to compensate Boeing?

[TonyWilliams]

Any prove? They don't seem to have the capital to do anything right now. According to rumours the airline will lease three more A332 and purchase A320s to compensate the third cancelled A345. What will they do to compensate Boeing?


Proof ? Of what ? No Boeing 777 's ? The Arik Air website no longer has information of future planes, so I guess I can't "prove" anything.

Compensate Boeing? As you said, if they have no capital, what would they possibly do? Also, if they are buying future aircraft from Airbus, I'll guess that they're not going to worry much about that.

On the most fundamental level, it will be the customers who will decide the fate of Arik Air and what routes they service. Comments like these, unfortunately, don't help:

July 5, 2010

Currently Arik air is second best for me at the moment.
If you want to be prompt, departing and arrival on schedule at your destination, better opt for other carriers.

In recent times, particularly between the months of March until a few days back (early July), all my flights on Arik originating and arriving at these cities; Benin, Lagos, Warri and Abuja where all delayed often times with no explanation given.

August 2, 2010

My first experience with Arik, travelling from Lagos to London puts it a considerable distance behind other carriers. The killer was when the in flight entertainment didn’t work at all. It’ll be some time before I fly Arik again despite low fares.