Bombardier partners Arik on routes expansion written by Wole Shadare

• Airline plans to build maintenance facility

NIGERIA’S flag carrier airline, Arik has concluded plans to partner Canadian aircraft maker, Bombardier

with a view to acquiring more state-of-the-art airplanes for its ambitious route expansion programme.

In the same vein, the nation’s biggest airline disclosed its readiness to build aircraft Maintenance Repair and

Overhaul (MRO) in Lagos.

The airline unfolded these plans recently when the President of Bombardier, Perre Beaudoin, took a tour of

the airline’s facilities in Lagos.

He said that the firm intended to sell more of its aircraft in Nigeria by utilising the good partnership it had

with Arik Air, which started scheduled commercial operation with new Bombardier aircraft, CRJ 900 in

2006.

The Bombardier president also said that the aircraft manufacturing company also had other partners in the

country who operated private Bombardier jets.

According to him: “We have a lot of partners in Nigeria, first of all, private aeroplane operators, but most

importantly Arik Air; we are beginning to find out that it is extraordinary airline and I promised Mr. Joseph

(Arumemi –Ikhide, chairman, Arik Air) we shall visit and that is what I’m doing today.”

He stated that Bombardier manufactures regional aircraft, which could be of immense benefit for inter-city

destinations in various parts of Africa and because of the aircraft’s fuel economy and comfort, airline like

Arik could maximise its domestic and regional operations with Bombardier regional jets.

“With the feedback I get from our customer, Arik Air, people love CRJ 900. It is a very quiet airplane, very

comfortable; it flies very smoothly through turbulence. The feedback I get both for CRJ 900 and Q400 is

very appreciated by the customers. I think we are on the way; of course others may have brand recognition

but with time as we are adding airplanes in this country and most importantly we are making regional

connections, I think people will love the fact that they are making very short flights and getting to your

destinations without having to connect to other flights.

The Chairman of Arik Air, Joseph Arumemi–Ikhide disclosed during the facility tour that on the airline would

sign an agreement with Lufthansa for the building of MRO facility in Nigeria where Nigerian airlines and

others would carry out maintenance checks on their aircraft.

“Right now, on March 19 we will be at Hamburg (Germany) to sign agreement with Lufthansa on the

construction of maintenance hangar. Bombardier is buying into it and also Boeing. This hangar you see (at

Arik Air headquarters) is going to be rebuilt and it is going to be manned by Lufthansa and it will be for C

Check, not only for Arik, but for all the airlines. It will provide service for modern aircraft.”

On the visit of Bombardier president to Nigeria he said that the management of Arik Air was happy to

receive Beaudoin, noting that his visit was an indication that Arik Air and Bombardier had strong

partnership, which would continue to grow stronger as the two companies deepen their business.

“We are very happy that Bombardier is here. They were the initiator of Arikå Air. They were here at the

beginning. They gave us the opportunity of bringing new airplane in Nigeria after over 25 years we had had

new aircraft. So it is good for the president of Bombardier to come and see what he helped to create in

Africa. This is a better assistance from the people of Canada which they gave to Nigeria through

Bombardier.”

Arumemi–Ikhide said that Arik Air would buy more Bombardier CRJ 900, Q400 and C series as it

expanded and added more local and regional routes.

“Yes, we will buy more CRJ 900 as you know the aircraft is loved by our countrymen. It has helped us to

develop routes. We go to new routes like Gombe, Katsina and Ibadan. We always use the CRJ as the

forerunner, even in Asaba; it has been very successful. It is very stable in the weather; very comfortable. We

are looking forward to discussing about getting more, the CRJ 1000 and of course more of the Q400 and in

future we think of getting the C series. Bombardier products are very good. That’s why we said that rather

than go the other way, government should look at Bombardier rather than other products.”
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