Arik Air seeks to resume intercontinental flights

Arik Air is considering resuming intercontinental flights just over ten months after a government-backed takeover forced it to retreat into the domestic Nigerian and regional West African markets, reports ch-aviation.

Nigerian Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said that government had engaged its counterparts in the United Kingdom over Arik's proposed return to the London Gatwick market. No timelines were disclosed.

Arik Air last offered regular flights to the UK capital in February of this year just prior to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria's (AMCON) decision to assume managerial control of the debt-ridden airline. The move coincided with the termination of long-haul flights to London, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, and New York JFK as well as the return of its widebody fleet of two A330-200s to Standard Chartered Aviation Finance.