Arik Air and Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace are seeking ways of expanding their business relationship.
This follows Monday’s visit by Bombardier Aerospace President/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pierre Beaudoin to the Arik Air Aviation Center in Lagos.
The Bombardier helmsman, who was in company with his top executives during the visit, said his company has been with Arik Air since the start of the airline’s operations in 2006 and he would want that relationship expanded.
He said the four Bombardier CRJ 900 and two Bombardier Q400 aircraft in Arik Air’s fleet are just the perfect aircraft for the airline’s regional operations stressing that he is happy with the feedback he is getting about the aircraft.
On his impression of Arik Air after an extensive tour of its facilities, Mr.Beaudoin said:
“I am impressed with Arik Air and the quality they put to their work. The maintenance facility is very impressive and everything here is done professionally. Our vision is to provide safe flights for Nigerians with the CRJ and Q400 series and we are happy Arik is deploying these aircraft to connect the regions. We are proud to be their partner.”
Arik Air Chairman, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide said the visit by the Bombardier President was encouraging coming at a time when the airline is planning to establish a maintenance hangar in Lagos in partnership with Lufthansa Technik of Germany.
“We are very happy that Bombardier is here,” Sir Arumemi-Ikhide said. “They supported the initiation of Arik Air by providing us the opportunity of bringing brand new aircraft into Nigeria, the first new aircraft in more than 20 years. So it is good for the President of Bombardier to come and see what they helped to create in Africa and the potential for our on-going relationship.”