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Emirates, Arik Air sign MoU for business expansion

By Businessnews Staff on September 6, 2014

Emirates, a global connector of people and places, and Arik Air, West Africa’s leading airline, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and expand their existing commercial relationship and explore further areas of co-operation.

The two airlines currently have a one-way interline agreement, whereby Emirates passengers are connected throughout Nigeria and West Africa via Arik Air’s current domestic and regional network.

Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Planning, Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs, Adnan Kazim signed for Emirates, while Arik Air’s Managing Director, Chris Ndlulue, sign for his company.

Speaking after the signing, which took place at Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai, Kazim said the two airlines have expressed interest in exploring ways to expand on their existing commercial relationship and to look at different areas in which they can cooperate.

Kazim: “Both Emirates and Arik Air have expressed interest in exploring ways to expand on our existing commercial relationship and to look at different areas in which we can cooperate that will be mutually beneficial to both airlines, such as seamless connectivity for Emirates’ customers to destinations in Nigeria and other central and western Africa counties via Arik Air’s hubs in Abuja and Lagos, and for Arik Air’s customers to Emirates worldwide network via our hub in Dubai.”

“The parties also intend to explore the potential of code share arrangements as passenger traffic flows mature between both parties’ networks,” he added.

Also commenting on the MoU, Ndlulue said Arik Air was delighted to partner with Emirates. He said: “Both airlines share a similar vision of convenience and safety for our customers. While Arik Air is happy to open its network in Nigeria and West Africa to Emirates passengers, we are excited at the vast worldwide network of Emirates being made available to Arik Air’s passengers. The invaluable cooperation between the two airlines offers a lot of synergy to both airlines in achieving their objectives.”

Under the MoU, Emirates and Arik Air will also explore other areas of cooperation for the future, including frequent flier programmes, passenger and cargo handling.

Nigerian Arik Air is the largest airline in Western and Central Africa and has developed and successfully operates an extensive domestic route network in Nigeria, and regionally across Western Africa from its twin hubs in Lagos and Abuja and Johannesburg in South Africa. It also operates intercontinentally to New York and London from its Lagos hub.

Emirates is one of the world’s leading international airlines and flies to more an 140 destinations in 81 countries across six continents. It operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft and Airbus A380s.

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