Airlines suspend shutdown of flights’ services

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has suspended its proposed plan to shut down operations on Monday over the high cost of aviation fuel.

The operators, on Friday, threatened to shut down flights services to passengers, if the Federal Government refused to reduce the price of Jet A1, which is now being sold at N700 per litre.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Saturday, appealed to the domestic airlines to reconsider their decision to withdraw flight services in the interest of the flying public and the nation’s economy.

However, the airline operators, in a statement issued on Sunday by the AON President, Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, said the association has suspended his decision to withdraw flights services in the country, following the intervention of the Federal Government.

Sarina noted that the airline operators would allow a fresh dialogue with the government in the hope of reaching an amicable solution.

He added that the earlier announced shutdown of operations was suspended in good fate pending the outcome of a fruitful engagement with the Federal Government.

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The statement read: “The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) wishes to inform the general public that further to numerous calls from the highest echelons in government with promises to urgently intervene in the crises being faced by airlines due to the astronomic and continuously rising cost of JetA1, that the AON has acceded to requests to withdraw the action for the time being while we allow for a fresh round of dialogue with government in the hope of reaching an amicable solution.

“We have also reached this decision with the highest consideration for our esteemed customers who have been faced with uncertainty over the last few days and to enable them to have access to travel to their various destinations for the time being during the period of discussions with relevant authorities.

“In view of the above and in the interest of national economy and security considerations, AON hereby wishes to notify the general public that the earlier announced shutdown of operations on May 9, 2022 is hereby suspended in good fate pending the outcome of hopefully fruitful engagement with government,” the AON President stated.

The Star