“The lawyer is not an expert to declare an aircraft unsafe – Capt. Ilegbodu.”
Arik Air has reiterated its commitment to safety in its operations, insisting that all its planes are in good condition amidst a lawyer’s claim that the airline’s planes are unsafe.
The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Roy Ilegbodu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The carrier was reacting to a story published on social media, claiming that the airline’s operations are unsafe following an incident on March 8, 2021.
A Benin-based legal practitioner, R.O. Isenalumhe, had alleged that an Arik Air aircraft he travelled with on March 7, 2021, from Abuja to Benin was unsafe, an account which the airline disputed, saying that the lawyer travelled on March 8.
The lawyer said, “The flight was 5.50 pm from Benin. The take-off from Benin Airport was traumatic and clearly indicative that the plane was not in order.
“We, however, managed to land at Abuja Airport after an hour and 15 minutes. I was to return to Benin on March 8, 2021, at 4.15 pm with the same aircraft.
“After an hour delay, we managed to take off. But 15 minutes into the flight, there was an announcement from the pilot that the flight cannot continue. The reason given was that there is an opening somewhere maybe a door.”
Refuting the lawyer’s claim, Mr. Ilegbodu stated, “It is unfortunate that one R. Isenalumhe, a trained lawyer who raised the alarm, displayed an unprofessional approach to this issue as he is not an expert to declare an aircraft unsafe.
“We had expected him to go the extra mile to investigate and ask questions from professionals in the industry or refer the incident to the appropriate regulatory body, the NCAA, if he felt so concerned about air safety.”
He added, “We wonder what his motive may be and Arik reserves the right to take action on this libelous and unprofessional conduct.”
