Arik Air resumed flight operations yesterday, Thursday August 8, 2024 after successfully resolving a $2.5 million debt dispute with Atlas Petroleum, which had led to three of the airline’s aircraft being grounded by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) following a court order.The announcement was made by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account. Achimugu stated that the resumption of the airline’s flight operations was facilitated by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, successfully resolved the impasse between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum.
Corroborating Achimugu’s announcement, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, CEO of Arik Air Ltd., confirmed in a Thursday statement that the airline would resume flight operations on August 8.
He assured customers of a smooth return to service, highlighting that the entire Arik Air team had worked tirelessly during the brief pause to enhance the travel experience.
Recall that Arik Air owed Atlas Petroleum International Limited the sum of $2.5 million, leading Atlas to take Arik to court. On July 19, 2024, the FCT High Court enforced a court order that scheduled three of the airline’s aircraft—5N-MJF, 5N-MJQ, and 5N-BKX—for a public auction on July 26, 2024, if the debt was not paid.