The management of Arik Air has announced the sack of 300 persons from its workforce due to the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.
The airline made this announcement in a statement issued by its manager for public relations and communications, Adebanji Ola, on Friday.
According to the statement, the pandemic has limited its ability to complete maintenance needed to return its planes to operations, reduced revenue amid rising costs.
The statement read partly: “Arising from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the constrained ability of the airline to complete heavy maintenance activities and return its planes to operations, stunted revenues against increasing operational costs, the management of Arik Air (In Receivership) has declared 300 staff members redundant to its current level of operations.
“The leadership of the impacted unions have been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.
“It is important to note that over 50 per cent of Arik Air’s workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months on a base allowance.
“Decisions to let go of staff is naturally a difficult decision. Arik Air wishes the impacted staff well in their future endeavours.”