More importantly is the fact that, having been paid by customers in advance for flight bookings, we are bound by contract to deliver the services already paid for, to avoid exposing the airline to the risk of avoidable litigation
Critical issues of national importance may have compelled the leadership of the House of Representatives to recalled its members for an emergency plenary session on Monday, May 9, 2022.
Clerk to the House of Representatives, Dr Yahaya Danzaria Esq; did not disclose the main reasons for reconvening the House but reports have it that the planned shutdown of Air operations by Airline operators of Nigeria was one of the issues to be discussed.
In the mean time, Ibom Air has snubbed the planned suspension of flight operations by Airlines Operators of Nigeria, AON that as from Monday all flight operations will be suspended in Nigeria.
Despite this directive from the body, Ibom Air has however informed all its passengers to ignore the call to suspend flight operations as the airline is ready to fly all booked passengers on Monday.
This is coming 12hrs hours after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in a statement calling off the bluff of the airlines operators to suspend operations.
FCCPC had declared via statement that airline operators will not deliberately sell tickets for flights they do not intend to operate, and as such a solution short of a shutdown will emerge accordingly.
In the statement dated May 7 and signed by Ibom Air management, the airline said: “Ibom Airlines Limited (Ibom Air) has been inundated with inquiries about what will happen on Monday 09 May, 2022, following the public statement issued by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Executive, on Friday 06 May, 2022 and it has become necessary for us to make the following clarifications:
”Ibom Air acknowledges the existential threat that these runaway fuel price increases pose for the air transport industry in Nigeria. We agree that this out-of-control situation is simply unsustainable.
“However, every airline has its unique business model and pressures. We believe that in spite of the escalating fuel prices, airlines volunteering to stop operations would rather exacerbate an already bad situation.
“Ibom Air has financial obligations to suppliers, financiers and staff, which depend on uninterrupted flow of revenue to service.
“More importantly is the fact that, having been paid by customers in advance for flight bookings, we are bound by contract to deliver the services already paid for, to avoid exposing the airline to the risk of avoidable litigation.
”Apart from the above factors, Ibom Air is currently the only airline serving Akwa Ibom State directly and as such, any voluntary stoppage of operations would completely cut off access by air into and out of the State. Such action would be directly in conflict with and detrimental to the interest of our shareholder.
“In view of the foregoing facts, Ibom Air had respectfully disagreed with the decision of AON to suspend flight operations on Monday 09 May 2022.
Ibom Air cannot in the circumstance volunteer to stop operating and will continue normal operations on Monday 09 May 2022 and beyond.
Ibom Air’s inclusion as “signatory” to the statement released by AON must have derived from its active and committed membership of the AON.
“The above notwithstanding, we identify very strongly with our AON colleagues and will participate in every effort to resolve this frightening situation as soon as possible in the interest of our business, our customers, our stakeholders and our country.
“We thank our customers for their continued patronage and we thank the AON for our collective efforts to secure a sustainable fuel pricing regime for the airlines.
According to the Clerk of the House, another issue expected to be discussed, Page3news.com.ng gathered, is the lingering Security challenges bedeviling the nation.
The notice by the Clerk, reconvening the House reads: “This is to inform all Honourable members, staff members, media and the general public (sic) that the House hereby recalls all Hon members
