The airline announced this in a statement on Friday, stating that was due to the adverse effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

The press statement was titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant”.

The company explained that a redundancy package would be provided for the affected workers with the help of the aviation unions.

The statement read in part, “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 has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.”

Arik Air added that over 50 percent of its workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months.

According to the airline’s Manager, Communication , Mr Adebanji Ola, all the early morning flights for the day were operated as scheduled.

Ola said : “All our early morning flights for Tuesday, 15 September, 2020 operated in and out of Lagos on schedule and all other flights for the day will operate as scheduled”.

“Once again, we apologize to all our valued customers for the disruption to their travel plans on Monday and assure them of our resolve to continually adhere to safety standards. We thank our esteemed customers for their understanding, confidence and support during this period”, he added.

He further said that passengers with tickets who could not fly on Monday can modify such tickets at no extra cost to travel at any time.

Recall while condemning the action of the unions members on Monday, the airline had said : “We wish to place on record that the picketing was illegal and has no backing of the aviation unions whose leadership have embraced dialogue by attending mediatory meetings called for Tuesday, September 15, 2020 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).”

“The management strongly condemns this action and once again assures all stakeholders of a safe and conducive working environment. We shall also protect the interest of the flying public for a safe, friendly and on time travelling experience”.

“We are already working with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Aviation and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to resolve all pending issues with the unions and a section of the staff”.

The union claimed that the non-payment started after the company placed 90 per cent of the workforce on compulsory leave and other “anti-labour practices”.

The unions included the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).

NAN reports that all Arik Air operations in Lagos State were shut down.

Mr Innocent Atasie, Chairman, ATSSSAN, Arik Air Branch told NAN that the workers resolved to shut down Arik operations nationwide when all efforts made to resolve the problem failed.

Atasie said that the unions were miffed that there had been no payment of staff salaries since April after placing 90 per cent of the workforce on compulsory leave.

The unions said the strike would continue indefinitely until their demands are met by the management of Arik Air.

Their demands included payment of outstanding salaries arrears, signing of Conditions of Service, remittance of Pension, Tax, and statutory deductions to the appropriate authorities, and to resolve other anti-labour issues.

Others are payment of salary arrears of seven months, with a commitment to paying salaries as and when due, henceforth.

Atasie said the unions also wanted the immediate review of all employee remunerations which had remained stagnant since the inception of Arik Air, over ten years ago.

He said that “the unions decided to shut down all operations nationwide when all efforts by the unions proved abortive.”

NAN reports that on September 13, the management of Arik Air asked for the intervention of the Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, over the planned industrial action by unions scheduled to commence on Sept 14.

The Chief Executive Officer of Arik, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, made the appeal in a letter to the minister entitled, “Re-Unions in Arik Air threaten to down tools”.