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Air Nigeria shuts down in latest aviation setback

Air Nigeria terminated its operations on Monday due to “staff disloyalty and environmental challenges”, the latest setback for the country’s aviation industry after a rival’s … Continue reading Air Nigeria shuts down in latest aviation setback


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Air Nigeria terminated its operations on Monday due to “staff disloyalty and environmental challenges”, the latest setback for the country’s aviation industry after a rival’s plane crash in June killed 163 people.

According to Reuters, it is now shutting down operations and sacking over 500 staff in a move that has prompted union protests over alleged unfair dismissal and unpaid salaries.

Investors behind the airline have struggled to deal with $250m (£157m) of debt taken on when they bought the carrier from Virgin two years ago, BBC said.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority suspended Air Nigeria in June due to financial concerns, although some flights were allowed to continue.

“Corporations are like individuals, who naturally will get sick, and the usual thing to do is to admit them to hospitals, either for corporate surgery or for treatment, as the case may be,” a statement from the company’s Chairman Jimoh Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim said Air Nigeria would close operations for at least a year but he hoped to resurrect the airline in the future

Privately-owned Air Nigeria was part of Richard Branson’s Virgin fleet until he pulled out in 2010, selling his minority stake.

It operated flights across West Africa and to London.

The demise of Air Nigeria leaves the country with just four domestic carriers operating scheduled flights.