Arik air destinations announced
When they took delivery of their new CRJ's: Borishade: Used Aircraft on Way Out of Nigeria As Arik Air takes delivery of two new jets in Canada 06.16.2006 Aviation Minister, Dr. Babalola Borishade has said the challenge of competition may force airline operators in the country to abandon used aircraft, which is predominant today for new ones in the next one or two years. In an interview with THISDAY shortly after the chairman of Arik Air, which recently acquired facilities of defunct Nigeria Airways, Sir JIA Arumemi-Johnson, took delivery of two new CRJ900 from Bombardier Aerospace of Montreal, Canada yesterday, Borishade said with the vision and drive of the management of Arik Air in purchasing two new aircrafts, the ensuing competition would necessarily force other airlines to follow suit. "The good thing is other airlines had seen this coming and were already making moves to respond. I'm aware that Bellview Airline is making arrangements to procure new aircraft. What Arik Air has done today was what we expected Virgin Nigeria to do when they flagged off their operations. I'm optimistic that with the challenge of competition, there would be no room for used aircraft in the country's airspace in the next one or two years," Borishade said. Delivering his goodwill message at the formal presentation of the two aircraft to the Arik Air management team at the Bombardier Mirabel Assembly Plant, Borishade expressed the hope that the partnership between the airline and the plane manufacturer would not simply be that of trading. "I hope the partnership portends maintenance and operations of aircraft. I look forward to a productive, expansive and sustainable maintenance relationship which transcends buying of aircraft,"he said. While congratulating Bombardier for their commitment and dedication, and Arik for their vision and creativity, Borishade expressed pleasure to be part of the history being made. Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demureem, urged Bombardier to assist Arik Air in maintenance and staff training. He promised not to compromise safety standards so that the country's airspace could meet international best practices. Bombardier president, Mr. Pierre Beaudoin, commended Arik Air and the Federal Government for the initiative in buying two new aircraft for Nigeria and West Africa. He said the new aircraft will stimulate growth in the sub-region and commended the changes taking place in the aviation sector in Nigeria. The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. David Angel, expressed happiness that Bombardier has taken advantage of the reforms and positive developments going on in Nigeria to seek investment opportunities and hoped others in the Canadian business community would do likewise. Arumemi-Johnson, receiving a symbolic key of the aircraft, said the presentation is the beginning of a dream to make Arik Air dominate the African airspace with at least 60 aircraft in no distant future. The two aircraft were named "Anthony"and "Patrick" after the Catholic bishop of Lagos Anthony Cardinal Okogie and his counterpart in Benin Diocese Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu. The latter was at the ceremony to bless the aircraft before a test flight from Bombardier Mirabel facility to their base at the Montreal international airport, about 40 minutes flight. On board the flight were Borishade, Demureem, the management team of Bombardier and Arik Air as well as the press crew. The CRJ900 is the flagship of Bombardier Aerospace, the leading regional aircraft manufacturer in the world. It is built for about 90 passengers. Apart from the two new CRJ900, the first by any commercial airline operator in over 20 years, Arik Air, which acquired the former Nigeria Airways facilities only recently, has in its fleet three Bombardier CRJ200 (2003), two Boeing 737-322 (1989) and two hawker executive jets 800XP (2004). The airline intends to begin operations between July and August and will fly Kaduna, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin, Enugu, Jos, Maiduguri, Kano and Lagos routes. It will also fly three international routes in Dakar, Senegal; Accra, Ghana; and Malabo, Equitorial Guinea.

C/O Flight International Nigerian start-up Arik Wings is preparing to begin operations before the year-end with four ex-United Airlines Boeing 737-300s. The airline has also acquired three Airbus A310s, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and three new Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets. Interesting choice of long haul equipment , are they ex-WT airframes? It would make sense given that Arik have bought out WT's old facility at LOS. I would have thought Arik would have gone the B767 route personally.

I don't think WT's Airbusses en DC-10 will ever be flying again, tey were scrapped in Lagos last month according to these photos: http://www.fl400.com/Nigeria/ There is a thread in A.net on this as well. But the maintenance area in which the planes were parked is bought by Arik.