The management of Arik Air has relieved 300 members of staff of their appointments.
Announcing this in a statement on Friday, the airline blamed the sacking of the workers on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the press statement titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant,” the company explained that a redundancy package would be provided for the affected workers with the help of the aviation unions.
The statement reads 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.”
The airline added that 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 its Public Relations and Communications Manager, Banji Ola, the airline apologised to passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the protest carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, 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.
