Arik Air Laid Off 300 Staff, Blames It On COVID-19

The management of Arik Air has disclosed that the Nigerian flight company has sacked 300 staffers of the company, Brandnewsday report.

Brandnewsday gathers that Arik Air made this report known in a statement made available through its spokesman, Adebanji Ola, blaming the development on the effect of the rampage of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic on its operations.

In a statement titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant”, the management blamed the development on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arik Air News

”Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant.

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 statement said.

“The leadership of the impacted unions has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.”

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The statement added that over 50 per cent of Arik Air’s workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months on a base allowance.

“Decisions to let go of staff is naturally a difficult decision. The company wishes the impacted staff well in their future endeavours,” the airline said.

Similarly, these are downtimes for airlines companies across the world especially Nigerian as some of the most affected businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Many airlines have had to cut costs and lay off staff to stay afloat.

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