Aero Contractors Suspends Operations

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Aero Contractors, one of Nigeria’s top airlines, has said it would suspend its scheduled services from Thursday 1 September.

In a statement by the company, the suspension was part of the airline’s strategic business realignment to position it for profitability.

According to the statement, the impact of the current economic situation in the country which has forced some other airlines to suspend operations, has also affected the company too.

“The impact of the external environment has been very harsh on our operational performance, hence management decision to suspend scheduled services operations indefinitely effective September 1, 2016 pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services,” the company stated.

Speaking further on the development, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, Aero Contractors CEO, said the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.

He said “We are aware of the impact this will have on our staff and our highly esteemed customers, hence we have initiated moves to ensure that we are able to return back to operations within the shortest possible time, offering reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is known for.”

He said during the period in review, Aero, which was hitherto revered for its safety, timeliness among other virtues witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external publics that are caused by non-alignment of fundamental issue of the business, which in some cases have been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties including staff, customers and indeed all stakeholders.

“The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staffs directly and indirectly involved in providing services as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services,” the CEO stated.

As far back as September 2012, Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, took over Aero Contractors, following the inability of the airline to pay over N32 billion debts owed to banks in the country.

Also as part of its resolve to ensure the airline survived, AMCON appointed Mr. Adeniyi Adegbomire, SAN, as Receiver Manager on 6 February, 2016.