|
About Us Arik Air Ltd is a privately and wholly Nigerian owned commercial airline with a commitment to the people of Nigeria to deliver new standards in aviation. In 2002, with Nigeria Airways in liquidation, Arik Air's Chairman, Sir Arumemi-Ikhide, decided to buy a Hawker jet aircraft. Colleagues and contacts in the gas and oil industry started using the Hawker jet to fly themselves around Nigeria. So, another jet was acquired and before long, a corporate jet business was launched. The next step was to find the right people and the right aircraft to build an airline that would set new standards and change the face of the aviation industry in Africa. Arik Air was born - an airline with whom "Nigeria and the rest of Africa would be proud to fly". In April 2006, Arik Air took occupation of some of the former Nigeria Airways facilities in Lagos and major reconstruction work began immediately. Arik Air also took delivery of three brand new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft making the airline the first CRJ900 operator on the African continent and the first airline to introduce new commercial aircraft into Nigeria for over 20 years. In October 2006, seven months after taking occupation of some of the old Nigeria Airways' premises and transforming it to a state-of-the-art facility, Arik Air was inaugurated, opening its doors to the travelling public on 30 October 2006. Over the next 36 months, additional brand new aircraft joined the growing fleet which now stands at 23 aircraft. By the end of 2011, Arik Air had successfully flown over 8.5 million passengers across a network of 43 domestic and international routes. In April 2007, Arik Air International Ltd was established in London by Dr Michael Arumemi-Ikhide. Set up to develop the worldwide routes and deliver a truly global airline with world class standards, Arik Air International acts as the overseas corporate office of Arik Air. On 15 December 2008, Arik Air successfully launched its first long-haul flight between Lagos and London Heathrow, flying daily with a newly acquired Airbus A340-500, offering the highest degree of operational flexibility and unmatched passenger comfort. The aircraft offers 36 Premier Class and 201 Economy Class seats. Premier Class passengers enjoy 'super flat' beds equipped with 17 inch monitors and a new generation in-built massage system. It also has a communal area which comprises a bar lounge, sofas and a seat-free space for socialising. In June 2009, Arik Air commenced operations to its second long haul destination - Johannesburg, South Africa - as well as flights to several destinations in the West African region; linking Lagos to Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia as well as Benin and Ghana. November 2009 saw the launch of Arik Air's latest international destination - New York, operating non-stop flights three times a week, between New York (JFK) and Lagos. The route is served by Arik's flagship A340-500 aircraft, operated by partner Hi Fly Transportes Aeros S.A. of Portugal. In addition, Arik launched non-stop services between the capital cities of London and Abuja from its new home at the renovated London Heathrow Terminal 4. In 2011 Arik became a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) having successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) the previous year. Towards the end of the year, Arik commenced direct flights to its first international destinations in over one year connecting Cotonou (Benin), Bamako (Mali) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) with Lagos. One week later it became the first Nigerian airline to fly non-stop between Lagos and Luanda (Angola). With traffic rights obtained to many other international destinations across the globe, including Houston, Beijing, Paris and Sao Paulo, this is just the beginning of Arik Air's international expansion. |
