Arik Air, a Nigerian private airline, asked the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) for permission to start flight services to Addis Ababa.

Over eight months have elapsed since Arik Air asked permission for traffic rights, Dr. Harol de Muren, director general of Nigerian Civil Aviation, said last week in Dare es Salaam at the 17th Aviation and Allied Leadership Conference.

A representative of Arik Air said that Arik Air’s delegation was in Addis Ababa last week to discuss the issue with officials of ECAA.

According to De Muren the Ethiopian Airlines operates 14 weekly flights to Nigeria which is the source of about 40 percent of Ethiopian’s income.

An official of ECAA said that Ethiopia and Nigeria had a bilateral air service agreement, and Ethiopia would not deny traffic rights to a Nigerian airline as long as it fulfilled ECAA requirements. He said that there were certain issues that needed to be assessed and the authority was holding talks with the management of Arik Air.

According to Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian chief operating officer, the management of Ethiopian had no objection to Arik Air flying to Addis Ababa. “It might be a matter of procedure. We believe in open skies agreements,” Mesfin said.

Arik Air was established in 2002 by Sir Arumemi-Ikhide, a renowned Nigerian businessman,.

Source: The Reporter