http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/business/aviation/20964-why-arik-air-is-suspending-abuja-london-heathrow-route.html

For all those who may have plans to travel with Arik on the Abuja - London route should please take note.

The Chairman of Arik Air, Sir JIA Arumemi-Ikhide, in this interview, speaks on a wide range of issues, including the airlines decision to temporarily halt its operations on the Abuja-London, Heathrow, route. Excerpts:

Arik Air has decided to discontinue to its Abuja-London service, why was this decision taken?



The decision has been taken to suspend and review future operations between the Federal Capital, Abuja and the UK. This is due to a protracted issue over the 2008 Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the UK and Nigeria, and the discrepancy over access to the allocated frequencies. Under the BASA agreement of 2008, UK carriers were granted a total of 21 frequencies into Nigeria. Nigerian carriers were afforded a reciprocal 21 frequencies into London, Heathrow.



Arik Air operates 12 of the agreed 21 reciprocal frequencies in the UK and Nigeria. Of these frequencies, seven are operated through slots secured under the primary rights of the BASA agreement. However, due to the alleged insufficiency of Heathrow slots, Arik’s five Abuja frequencies have to date been operated via slots secured though separate commercial arrangements outside the auspices of the BASA agreement.



The nine remaining frequencies afforded to Nigeria under the UK/ Nigeria BASA agreement, are currently unutilised whilst their counterparts presently utilise their full complement of 21 frequencies into Nigeria and have unfettered access to the necessary landing/ departure slots made available by Nigeria’s honouring of the BASA agreement. The Federal Government of Nigeria is entering into discussions with the British authorities to regularise the inconsistency. Arik supports and welcomes the dialogue between the venerated authorities.



When will operations cease and is this going to be permanent?



Ahead of the winter schedule, which commences on October 31, we will suspend the five times weekly flight between Abuja-Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and London Heathrow, Terminal 4. The last flight to operate on the route will be on October 28. All passengers booked after this date on the route will be offered a full refund or can be rebooked via Lagos with onward internal connections to Abuja. We are doing our utmost to ensure that all our customers are protected and to minimise any inconvenience that this discontinuation may have on them.



This is very simply a suspension. Arik Air will review the route viability at a more appropriate time. Once the issues outlined above have been satisfactorily resolved, we will begin to assess operations again and in line with our long-term business plan . However, there are many other determining factors such as the very high operating and infrastructure costs at London, Heathrow. From a commercial objective, we need to take into account the profitability of this route to the airline. We serviced a much needed connection since November 29, 2009, but it has not fully reflected our expectations and that has been taken into consideration as well.



Are there plans for the aircraft that was used on the route?



The B737-800 aircraft that operates the Abuja-London-Heathrow route, will be redeployed in the interim, to support the airline’s regional expansion in Q4 of 2011 and Q1 of 2012. In order to meet the demand of flying to the new destinations, the airline has decided to re-focus its long-haul commitments in order to support route development in Africa. The short and medium-haul aircraft are now dedicated to intra-regional utilization, whilst the flagship A340-500, will continue to serve the New York and London, Heathrow routes from Lagos, thereby protecting key global destinations connection with Lagos. Arik’s range of aircraft, include a mixture of Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier models with the New Generation Boeing B737 offering an efficient and modern product, in markets where there will be high demand for it.



Arik operates a fleet of 23 short and medium-haul aircraft across a network of 21 domestic and five West African destinations. The airline has just revised its domestic schedule at the start of September to support the next phase of growth. The new transfer facility through its hubs in Lagos and Abuja, is also expected to be ready on-line, offering greater connectivity, choice and convenience for international passengers from the USA, UK and South Africa.



Does Arik intend to launch to any new destinations this year?



Following the launch of two new domestic routes in August and September- (Ibadan and Asaba), we have decided to consolidate our regional position with the commencement of scheduled operations from our hub in Lagos to Luanda (Angola), Douala (Cameroon), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Bamako (Mali) and Kinshasa (DR Congo), as well as developing the West and Central African network. Arik is also set to begin operations to the Middle East by the end of 2011. The new regional destinations are set to enter the growing network at the start of Q4. Besides the new routes, we will also re-commence operations to Cotonou (Benin) bringing our international profile to 14 destinations, a very impressive tally given that we are just coming in to our fifth full year of operations.



Why is there such a strategic focus on the region compared to international points?



We are implementing the next phase of the airline’s long-term strategy. From the outset, it was a composite strategy consisting of developing domestically, connecting regional and then enhancing the international network.



When we launched five years ago, the aim was compete network coverage of the country. Having just launched to Asaba and Ibadan, I can confidently say that objective has been achieved with regards to phase One. Our next step is the focus on West and Central Africa, particularly the West Coast. This is a region with poor accessibility and in need of more service. There is a high demand globally, but in particular, from the Middle East and Asia.



For reliable and safe transport through the region, Arik Air is well-positioned to provide an efficient and convenient air and land transport links connecting West and Central Sub-Sahran Africa. Air service to these destinations have been sorely deficient up to this point, yet it is a region rich in resources. There has not been the requisite development in infrastructure historically to advance aviation, but I believe this is changing and countries are maturing. This will also come with assistance from private enterprises, such as Arik Air, that can provide a regular network to transport business, workers and traders, among others,



We co-join key financial destinations on three continents - New York, London and Johannesburg and will soon connect new points in the Middle East and beyond to Lagos. Offering a network programme in the West is attractive also to other airline’s in these countries who would like access to this network, so we have already started working on a number of code-shares.

Found this out a couple of weeks ago from this site 

^^^^

heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy! ! ! !

They should upgrade their planes to b777.how could they be using 737 on an int and a very lucrative route as well?Anywayz,i dont fancy them.

Gbenge 77:

They should upgrade their planes to b777.how could they be using 737 on an int and a very lucrative route as well?Anywayz,i dont fancy them.

Why should they put a b777 on a route that can be flown by a 737? Do you think that 737's don't have class and sizes? If I was the airline I'll do the same, I personally think they can't be competitive when they have BA there that offer more flexibility than they do.

Gbenge 77:

They should upgrade their planes to b777.how could they be using 737 on an int and a very lucrative route as well?Anywayz,i dont fancy them.

Why would you put a marcopolo on the route that have a load yield of a toyotal haice?

B737 has the range/endurance and suites the yield load factor for LHR - ABV. Beside, Arik short to medium term growth strategy means easy rerouting of aircraft to thier regional routes when the LHR to ABV is clogged like we witnessed with the icelandic volcanic eruption.

By the way Arik has B777 and B787 on boeing's order books which are not due for delivery till 2015 I think. And Arik is the boing launch customer for B787 in Africa which goes with some form of pride.

WHY IS THERE NO DIRECT LONDON ---> Port Harcourt route a lot of Oil workers needs to get to their Rigs a.s.a.p OR attend urgent meetings in London that is a very vital route. Please Arik don,t claim you do that route by dumping people in Lagos OVERNIGHT that have no business there.

Also all those traveling to the east don,t want to arrive rugged Lagos first as that will increase their journey time by up to 3days in these mordern times. We only have Airfrance doing that which is too bad. Such a vital route.

manny4life:

Why should they put a b777 on a route that can be flown by a 737? Do you think that 737's don't have class and sizes? If I was the airline I'll do the same, I personally think they can't be competitive when they have BA there that offer more flexibility than they do.

abi oooo
even a blind man will prefer BA to Arik air despite the fact that he cant even see the planes himself