OIL MARKETERS RAISE THE ALARM, ACCUSE AIRLINE OPERATORS OF TRYING TO FORCE SUBSIDY ON AVIATION FUEL
Executive Director, Max Air, Alhaji Shehu Wada; Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo; CEO, Arik Air, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu; CEO, Aero Contractors, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood; MD, Azman Air, Alhaji Faisal Abdulmunaf; and Chairman, Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema.
The statement read, “Further to numerous calls from the highest echelons in government with promises to urgently intervene in the crises being faced by airlines due to the astronomic and continuously rising cost of JetA1, that the AON has acceded to requests to withdraw the action for the time being while we allow for a fresh round of dialogue with government in the hope of reaching an amicable solution.”
The airline operators also stated that they “reached this decision with the highest consideration for our esteemed customers who have been faced with uncertainty over the last few days and to enable them to have access to travel to their various destinations for the time being during the period of discussions with relevant authorities.”
They said, “In the interest of national economy and security considerations, AON hereby wishes to notify the general public that the earlier announced shutdown of operations on May 9, 2022 is hereby suspended in good fate pending the outcome of hopefully fruitful engagement with government.”
But before AON issued the statement, majority of Nigerian domestic carriers had suspended the plan to stop flight service from today. Leading the pack was Ibom Air, which on Saturday, broke off from the agreement and announced
that it would continue operation.
Dana Air followed and said, in a statement signed by its management, that it had obligation to its customers and, therefore, would not stop operation today.
Green Africa never indicated intention to join the airlines that wanted to embark on suspension of flight operations. But Aero Contractors and Arik Air issued a statement indicating their plan to continue with their flights. Overland Airways announced that it was opting out of the plan to stop operation.
Dana Air, in its statement, explained, “While Dana Air agrees with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on all the challenges facing domestic airlines in Nigeria and have on many occasions actively participated in the collective and ongoing engagement of relevant authorities on the urgent need to tackle the many issues domestic airlines have been grappling with, which includes the skyrocketing cost of Jet A1, we have taken a decision not to join the suspension of flights on May 9, 2022.”
In a joint statement, Arik Air and Aero Contractors said, “The management of Arik Air Limited (In Receivership) and Aero Contractors (In Receivership) wish to bring to the notice of the traveling public that both airlines will be operating all their scheduled flights on Monday, May 9, 2022.”
It was only Max Air, Air Peace, and Azman Air that held on until AON issued a statement suspending the plan to ground airlines operations from today.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, commended the airlines for suspending the planned suspension
of flights. In a statement signed by Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Public Affairs, James Odaudu, Sirika said since members of the AON issued the notice of withdrawal of flight services as a result of rising cost of Jet A1, and in spite of the initial statement by the ministry, enquiries had flooded the ministry. It said some had thought the withdrawal of flight operations was a kind of protest against the government.
The statement said, “We wish to state that the decision of the association is purely a business one as they are private businesses reacting to market forces but appealing for interventions to enable them carry on with their operations.
“The ministry has always made conscious efforts to assist members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, some of which includes facilitating a meeting between the association and Mr. President, during which the association got several concessions, including duty-free importation of aircraft, engines, spare parts and components.”
It also stated that the minister had at various times personally took members of the association to engage with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to sort out issues of access to forex for their operations and also the NNPC to explore ways of ensuring the availability of aviation fuel.
Chevron Terminates Contract with Caverton Helicopters
Chevron Nigeria announced the termination of its contract with Caverton Helicopters. This was disclosed in a statement
titled, “Termination of Caverton’s Contracts.”
The company stated, “This is to bring to the notice of the entire workforce that with effect from May 7, 2022, the contract held by Caverton Helicopters Limited for the provision of aircraft services for both the JV and DW operations have been terminated. Chevron is currently working on securing an alternative service, and this will be communicated soon.”
However, the plan by labour unions in four aviation agencies to embark on two-day warning strike on Monday and Tuesday, May 9 and 10, over the non-implementation of the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment, still stands, THISDAY has learnt.
General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Ocheme Aba, confirmed yesterday that there had been no development to stop the plan and the strike would still go on.
The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP); Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE); and NUATE issued a statement at the weekend, saying despite their best efforts, the issue of the Conditions of Service of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), as negotiated for upwards of seven years, remained with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment remained unimplemented since 2019.