Arik Air, West Africa’s largest commercial carrier has commenced cargo operations across its extensive regional and domestic network. This follows the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA’s) approval to the airline to include Cargo on its Airline Operator Certificate (AOC).

Arik Air is now set to strengthen its intercontinental cargo operations by adding Johannesburg, South Africa to the already running import activities from London Heathrow and New York JFK. This means that Arik Air’s guests now have an unprecedented freighting opportunities and possibilities. The airline operates the wide body Airbus A330-200 on the Lagos-Johannesburg route and this aircraft has a large cargo compartment.
Commenting on the latest development, Arik Air’s Senior Vice President Commercial, Mr. Kevin Steele said: “The inauguration of cargo operations by Arik Air is in response to calls by our guests who have been clamoring for this specialised service. Arik Air has the widest domestic coverage in Nigeria; therefore we offer the greatest freight forwarding opportunities within our aviation market.

“Our West Coast traders will have their cargo shipping needs met with our flights in and out of Accra (Ghana), Cotonou (Benin), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Dakar (Senegal), Banjul (Gambia) and Monrovia (Liberia).”

Newspaper houses, courier companies, cargo agents and corporate bodies with branches all over the nation now have the wide route coverage of Arik Air to use and meet their logistics needs.

Arik Air was founded in 2006 and started commercial operations on October 30, 2006 between Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt with three brand new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft becoming the first CRJ900 operator on the African continent and the first airline to introduce new commercial aircraft into Nigeria in over 20 years.

Arik Air is Nigeria’s leading commercial airline. It now operates a fleet of 26 state-of-the art regional, medium haul and long haul aircraft including two Airbus A340-500 making the airline the first operator of the wide bodied aircraft in Africa.

The airline currently serves 30 airports across Nigeria as well as Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), Cotonou (Benin), Dakar (Senegal), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia), London Heathrow (UK), Johannesburg (South Africa) and New York JFK (USA).

The airline operates a combined number of over 150 daily flights from its hubs in Lagos and Abuja.