Arik Air Nigeria Resumes Domestic Flights After Union Agreement

Arik Airlines Ltd., Nigeria’s largest operator, resumed domestic flights today after resolving a dispute with an airport union that had blocked passengers from the company’s planes for three days by locking boarding gates.

Customers are again able to book tickets for Nigerian flights, the company said in a statement on its website.

Planes were stopped from flying from Lagos, the commercial capital, on Sept. 20 after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria union locked the gates. Director-General George Uriesi of the airport authority said Lagos-based Arik must pay the 18 billion naira ($114 million) owed for use of airport facilities.

The airline, operating 23 aircraft and flying at least three times weekly to London and New York, said yesterday its international operations weren’t affected by the suspension.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elisha Bala-Gbogbo in Abuja at ebalagbogbo@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Dulue Mbachu at dmbachu@bloomberg.net