Effective today, Thursday, September 1, 2016, one of Nigeria’s once-upon-a-time leading airlines, Aero Contractors, is closing its doors to customers and also suspending further operations indefinitely.
The sad news which YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine learnt will cost over 1000 people their jobs was broken yesterday by the company’s CEO, Mr. Fola Akinkuotu. The decision, according to him, is to see how they could reposition and return the embattled airline set up by the legendary Olorogun Michael Ibru to the path of profitability.
“This business decision is as a result of the current economic situation in the country, which has forced some other airlines to suspend operation or outrightly pull out of Nigeria.
“In the case of Aero, the airline has faced grave challenges in the past six months, which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.
“This suspension is pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.
“The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staff directly and indirectly involved in providing services, as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services.
“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,’’ he ended.
It would be recalled that the airline has not been finding things easy. So much so that that the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, had to wade in at some point. And now this.