Already, the airline is still counting
its losses as industry analysts say it has lost close to N630 million
during the 18 days of what they termed ‘avoidable crisis’.
“The whole thing, not just Aero crisis
alone goes to show that there is trouble in the sector. What kind of
message are we sending to air travellers when such crisis persists in a
sensitive sector like Aviation?” an analyst observed.
Aero operates at least 70 flights in a
day and at between N19,000 and N30,000 depending on the time and
platform on which the ticket is purchased.
Already, some passengers are accusing the
airline of being insensitive adding that they knew about the strike but
allowed them to buy non-refundable tickets online.
“I know the money is non-refundable but
that should have stopped Aero from still selling tickets on-line before,
during and after the crisis; this is unfair,” a traveler, who simply
identified herself as Abiodun lamented.
For instance, Yinka Adebo, one of the
passengers who was supposed to leave for Lagos to Port Harcourt, said
that the passengers would file a suit against Aero Contractors for
making them to miss their important engagements for the day due to the
cancellation of their flights.
According to him, ‘this is a breach of contractual agreement and the airline must answer this in the court of law.’
Since Aero
controls over 35 percent of the market share, its teeming travellers
were left to scamper for limited seats during the period.
Aero Contractors’ indebtedness to
commercial banks, estimated to be over N32 billion, which had been
bought over by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) during
the banking sector reforms, had been converted to equity stake for the
corporation, it was learnt.
Prior to the development, Aero was 100
percent owned by the Ibru family, which acquired full stake in the
airline about three years ago after its Canadian partner, CHC, pulled
out its equity.
“Aero Contractors was the most admired
airline in Nigeria. In addition to being the oldest operating aviation
company it was also the most profitable. Aero became a brand, an
institution because of professional discipline among its crews and its
operating principles,” Daniel Omale, a pilot had said in an analysis.
He noted that ‘the disregard for unions’
demands, which led to Aero’s grounding for weeks, is one those issue
that lead to bankruptcy of any company, especially, some airlines even
in developed nations.
It was the same union problems that started the crisis which eventually crippled Air Nigeria.
“As it is now, Aero would have to pay
recertification of aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA), pay its lessors and at the same time, pay certain amount to
AMCON, that is not in the interest of a profit making organisation,” Francis Ayigbe, an analyst said.
Before the crisis started, the union had
demanded that Aero management recall about 41 staff it sent on training
to another company while giving it a 21-day ultimatum.
The unions under the Air Transport Senior
Staff Services of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air
Transport Employees (NUATE), embarked on strike after the Airline
refused to reverse the redeployment of the workers.
“How can dedicated and experienced
workers like us continue to work and baboons begin to chop our sweat and
money? While Temitope Fagbemi worked in Air Nigeria on N500,000.00
monthly, only for her to be recruited in Aero Contractors on N1.8million
per month between April to December 2012 and by January 2013, through
some magical hoodwinking, her salary rose to N2.4million per month with a
brand new Prado Jeep purchased by management in her name at N9.7million
and yet the Managing Director is claiming that the company is going
through hard times?’’ the union accused Aero in another statement.
So Aero should watch out for anything
that would disrupt its operations and cause unbearable loss, especially,
disagreement from workers, in the future.
Article accredited; Businessday
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