Arik calls the act ‘unprofessional’
Nigeria’s biggest carrier, Arik said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, acted in an “unprofessional” way by publicizing the letter itemizing the N6 million fine issued to the aircraft on Tuesday.
In an announcement by the carrier’s Public Relations Manager, Adebanji Ola, Arik said that the letter was plugged before it could react inside the due date given.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had previously issued a N6million fine to Arik Air Limited for repudiating the arrangements of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).
The agency likewise requested the aircraft to pay its travelers, whose stuff were postponed on the London to Lagos course between December 2 and December 4, $150 each as pay.
As per an announcement marked by the organization’s General Manager, Public Relations, Sam Adurogboye, and got by the News Agency of Nigeria, the NCAA’s Letter of Sanction with reference no. NCAA/DG/CSLA/RM/1-06/16/439 and dated December 22, was additionally sent to Arik Air.
The announcement said the NCAA power was before immersed with dissensions of deferral and failure to ship the travelers’ checked–in baggage on the carrier’s administrations from London to Lagos from December 2 to December 4.
It however said that the NCAA found that Arik Air abused Part 19.7.2 and 19.17.2.1 (ii) of the Nig.CARs 2015.
In any case, in its reaction on Wednesday, Arik Air said that it did everything conceivable to guarantee the London travelers got their luggage in great time.
As indicated by the announcement, when the carrier’s wide body A330-200 air ship was harmed by a ground taking care of truck, it conveyed a B737-800 on the London course to minimize the disturbance to the travelers.
“All passengers checking in from London were given a letter informing them of the capacity limitation and weight restriction on this aircraft type and advised that some of their baggage would be delayed because of this and transported on the next available flight with capacity. All passengers were accepted on to the flight based on this understanding.
“However, after arriving in Lagos some of them formed pressure groups and took the laws into their own hands disrupting the operations of the airline, assaulting the airline’s employees and destroying its property.
“However, some of the passengers disrupted our operations for several days thereby making it impossible for the aircraft to operate from Lagos and return from London Heathrow before the night curfew, further preventing the short landed bags from being recovered,” the airline said.
Similarly, the airline alleged that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, security did nothing to prevent the passengers from disrupting the airline’s operations by providing adequate security to the airline and its personnel to enable the flights to leave on time. It added that their actions prevented a quicker resolution in the recovery of baggage.
“Some FAAN security personnel were also encouraging passengers to disrupt checking-in process and seated themselves on top of Arik Air check-in counters.
“The NCAA expects strict compliance with the provisions of Part 19 of the Nig.CARs by the airline in future,” the agency said in a statement.
“This is to assure all stakeholders that the authority exists to protect their rights at all times and as such any violation of the regulation in that regard will be viewed seriously.”
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