^^^
Govts can certainly bring pressure to bear even on private companies, but there is a limit. The legal system in the U.K. also means that if the companies feel they are being unjustly treated by the govt, they can take their own govt to court. The U.K. govt certainly won't pull out their cards in order to get a landing slot for a privately owned Nigerian company. It's not a strong enough issue to warrant govt intervention. The govt determines who can enter its airspace and when (and it has allowed Arik to enter its airspace). For them to also be asked to go and negotiate landing slots for Arik is a step too far. If they set that precedent, there'll be no end to who else they'll have to do it for.

Affecting the price of a litre of petrol is a different kettle of fish. The govt in the Nigeria is looking to change it by removing their subsidy. Similarly, the govt in the U.K. can affect theirs by changing fuel taxes. This affects all, and doesn't pick on any particular company.

daywatcher:

so you are saying that the British government cannot twist the arm of the the owners BAA? Heathrow is the UK's flagship airport, you seriously think BAA is entirely autonomous when running the airport?

The price of a litre of petrol in Nigeria right now is N65, is that not due to govenrnment interferrence?

They certainly can but something i laugh the way we feel like we are some big fish, we only have one airline going to the UK, at the moment, all our big companies when they get outside the country they start crying wolf, the british law court forced BAA to sell some of its Airports, thousands of foreign cpmpanies are buying over british assets, as long as you have your a game, a small badly run company like arik is really not something they will blink about BA has seeen several nigerian companies come and gone, they dont even need their smalles mp to affect thing, when the national assembly is a phone call away

Talk about Aviation Imperialism, Nonsense.

Arik aand b.a are offering two diff. Services for same route. Arik is purely belw average while b.a is way above averge tho not excellent.
The prob. With arik began when the comp. Joined the reap off game with b.a and other but refused to offer same service like the rest.
While shld the govt. Appeal on bhalve of arik when it has its looming domestic petol price on the way.
Let see how creative arik mngmt are at resolving this one.

Eeeeeyaaaah ! Airik ndo nu oo ! Kpelleee oo !
Thought dat u pple re on top of d world by dishing out all those insultive Pooo gutter servicess 2 9ja citizens ?
Ntooo ! I never knew dat d rich also cry !
See dia dirty poo mouth they re using in begging minister 4 aviation 2 intervene on dia behalf ! Hahahaha, Lwkmd jareh !