The Arik Air management, a Nigerian brand airline firm on Friday announced it has sacked its 300 staff due to COVID-19 challenges.
The airline through a statement made available to journalists on Friday titled: “Airk Air management declares 300 staff redundant”, stated that the sacking of.staff was due to COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the statement, a redundancy package would be provided for the affected workers with the help of the aviation unions.
The statement read in part, “Arising from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the constrained ability of the airline to complete heavy maintenance activities and return its planes to operations, stunted revenues against increasing operational costs, the management of Arik Air (In Receivership) has declared 300 staff members redundant to its current level of operations.
The airline noted that the union has been briefed on ways to negotiate the redundancy package of those who were sacked, adding that about 50% of its workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months.
In a separate statement by its Public Relations and Communications Manager, Banji Ola, the airline apologised to passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the protest carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees on December 3, 2020.
The picketing disrupted operations in Lagos and prevented the airline from processing passengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 1 and 2.
Some of the local airlines have been under financial pressure as a result of the impact of COVID-19.
