Arik Air Mulls Plans To Serve U.S.
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Neelam Mathews mathews.neelam@gmail.com
Nigerian carrier Arik Air is in midst of deciding whether to start flights to New York.
The announcement is expected by the beginning of next month. Arik Air has also been invited to be the national flag carrier of Niger.
The West African Republic of Niger, which borders Nigeria and Benin to the South, and Algeria and Libya to the north, is the largest nation in West Africa, with its capital in Niamey. Over 80% of its territory is covered by the Sahara desert.
"We view the invite from Niger as a wholly positive endorsement of Arik Air indicating that we are viewed as having the necessary expertise, ability and network in the region that makes Arik Air's business model attractive to West African states seeking to restructure and enhance their aviation industry," an Arik Air spokesman told AWIN.
Arik Air has received traffic rights to 11 international destinations, including Houston, Atlanta and New York. It has already launched services to London and Johannesburg.
"Needless to say, it is our ambition to launch this route (U.S) and that has not diminished," the spokesman said. "Until we are in a position to confirm commencement of U.S operations, we aren't able to speculate on what aircraft would be used on these routes," he added.
Arik Air has taken delivery of two airbus A340s from Kingfisher Airlines for its operations to London and Johannesburg. "There is an option for a third A340, but this is still in negotiation," explained the spokesman.
In May, a Kingfisher spokesman confirmed that a wet-lease agreement for two A330s was completed with Arik Air, indicating that it would not add further long-haul sectors to its present unprofitable routes to London Heathrow. The Arik Air spokesman now says that negotiations are ongoing. "Needless to say, we are always interested and will consider any new inventory that comes onto the market."
Kingfisher has five A330s in its inventory, two of which are idle.
Arik Air has been successful in the difficult economic climate. In the space of six months, it launched two long-haul flights -- from Lagos to London and Johannesburg on the two new A-340's (of Kingfisher).
"We have enhanced our domestic market share from 30% Q1 2007 to 42% Q1 2009 as well as consolidating regionally with the commencement of operations to Senegal, the Gambia and Sierre Leone," says the spokesman.
Arik Air operates a fleet of 27 medium-haul and long-haul aircraft. It serves 20 airports across Nigeria as well as Accra, Ghana; Cotonou, Benin; Niamey and Agadez, Niger; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Banjul, Gambia; Dakar, Senegal; London Heathrow and Johannesburg. The airline currently operates a combined total of 120 daily flights from its hubs in Lagos and Abuja.
Photo credit: Arik Air
