Arik Airlines of Nigeria presently managed by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has won the M.I.C.E. West Africa Airlines award for the category of West African airlines that is most supportive of events and exhibitions in the region.
The award, which was recently presented to Arik Airline in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja was witnessed by the Director-General, Nigeria Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC); Otunba Segun Runsewe; Alhaji Idi Hong, former Minister of Tourism Nigeria; Charity Githinji, Managing Director of Tandaza Africa, Tanzania among several other distinguished personalities. M.I.C.E Awards West Africa is the first M.I.C.E Awards to be given to the champions of the concept in the region.
Arik Air, which was founded in 2002 and commenced operations on the October 30, 2006, is a Nigerian airline operating mainly from two hubs including the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Arik Air serves a network of regional and mid-haul destinations within Africa.
Within the last eight months, especially since AMCON took over its operations largely as a result of the huge debts, the airline’s operations has changed for good as flights now depart on schedule without delay. For instance, flights scheduled for say 10:00 a.m calls for boarding at 9:27 or 9.28 and completed boarding at about 9:50.
The flights will then take off at about 10:05 a.m., which is quite remarkable. Arik Air with the current changes happening is gradually rising again to take its position as the most preferred airline in the West African region. Aside from that, the general attitude of its staff, which was hitherto hostile leading to a number of fracas between Arik passengers and staff have changed as Arik staff now behave like their peers in international airlines. It was no doubt these noticeable changes that made a passenger to recently declare that ‘whatever magic AMCON used to turn Arik around should be commended.’