Nigeria’s Azman Air Pauses Operations, Sends Staff on Unpaid Leave

Nigerian airline, Azman Air has suspended its operations and placed nearly its entire workforce on compulsory leave without pay.

The airline’s Public Relations Officer, Nurudeen Aliyu, confirmed the development on Monday, citing extensive aircraft maintenance as the reason behind the decision.

According to Aliyu, the airline’s fleet is undergoing significant maintenance work, with two aircraft already in maintenance and three more due for C-checks. The airline expects to resume domestic operations by October 2024 once the maintenance is completed.

“Two of our aircrafts are in maintenance and 3 are due for C-check and that’s why we suspended our domestic operation. Our aircraft will be back in October. The overhead is heavy so the management decided to put the company on hold,” Aliyu explained.

In an internal circular dated August 3, 2023, signed by Human Resources Manager Magaji Mohammed Misau, Azman Air informed its employees of the decision. The document, titled “Placement of Leave Without Pay,” stated that all staff, except eight senior employees, would be affected by the directive. The circular attributed the suspension of domestic operations to the extended timeline required for aircraft maintenance and related procedures.

Azman Air has faced operational challenges, including suspending its licence in 2022 due to a N1.2 billion ticket sales debt and the expiration of essential documents. The latest move to suspend operations and place staff on unpaid leave shows the airline is still experiencing some ongoing difficulties.

Generally,  Nigeria’s domestic air travel is facing a severe decline. This is due to rising costs and dwindling capacity, primarily driven by the nation’s economic downturn. Many Nigerians, who previously relied on air travel, now find it unaffordable due to high airfares and naira’s depreciation. Some airlines, including Dana Air and Max Air, have suspended or reduced operations due to regulatory issues and operational challenges, further straining the sector.

Read Also: Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Keyamo, admits corruption in aviation sector, weeks after WAW reports

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