22:39 20 SET 2012

(AGI) Abuja - Nigeria's air transport is in shambles after private airline 'Arik Air' decided to suspend its flights.
Nigeria's main carrier 'Arik Air' agreed today to an indefinite suspension of its flights following an ongoing dispute with Nigerian authorities accused by the company of corruption and trying to extort money from them. The straw that broke the camel's back was a recent raid carried out at the Lagos airport, the country's largest, during which the airline's offices were searched. The carrier's management blamed the operation on Nigeria's national civil aviation body (FAAN) that, in turn, blamed the employees of the airline itself who are reportedly calling for unpaid wages to be paid. The country's second largest airline, 'Air Nigeria', suspended its flights on September 10 complaining about "inefficient and dishonest" staff. The good news is that the Aviation Ministry decided to return the third-largest carrier, Dana Air, its licence after a 3-month suspension. The airline currently operates four planes, as one crashes in Lagos on June 3 killing all of the 153 passengers and an unspecified number (between 10 and 50) of people on the ground Over the next few days, therefore, Dana Air will be the only carrier operating flights in Nigeria. . .

http://www.agi.it/english-version/business/elenco-notizie/201209202239-eco-ren1086-nigeria_s_main_carrier_arik_air_suspends_flights