The management of foremost Nigerian airline, Arik Air, has relieved 300 members of staff of their appointments.
The airline blamed the sacking on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in a statement it issued on Friday.
The company, in the press statement it titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant,” explained that 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 leadership of the impacted unions has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.
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According to the airline, over 50 per cent of its workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months.
In a separate statement by Banji Ola, its Public Relations and Communications Manager, 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.
