Arik Air records 18.6% increase in Passenger traffic in 2013
31-Jan-2014 Arik Air, West and Central Africa's largest carrier has announced a steady growth in the number of passengers it carried between 2012 and 2013. The yearend figure released by the airline shows that a total of 2,745,400 passengers were carried in 2013. This figure represents 18.6 per cent increase over the 2012 passenger figure of 2,315,247.
The month of March 2013 was significant in that the airline recorded the highest passenger figure for the year with a total of 260,132 passengers carried across its wide network of 30 destinations. This was against the 171,794 passengers carried in the same month in 2012. A significant increase was also recorded in the month of April when a total of 249,854 passengers were carried. This represents about 33.7 percent increase over the 2012 figure.
Arik Air has so far flown 13,471,414 passengers from start of operations on October 30, 2006 till December 31, 2013.
Arik Air Managing Director, Mr. Chris Ndulue has attributed the steady growth to the airline's continued adherence to safety standards, unequaled extensive domestic coverage and good service delivery.
Ndulue commented: "The figures for the period just ended are very encouraging and reflect the steady growth that we have been experiencing since launching our operations on October 30, 2006. We have gone through a rapid expansion over the years while the last two years have been used to consolidate on the new markets.
"Arik Air has been the success story of Nigerian commercial aviation. This is set to continue and there is much to be achieved. During 2014, the airline plans to increase its market share in Nigeria. With the addition of three new aircraft to our fleet last year, we are set to continue our expansion programme by launching new routes to Abidjan and Dubai before the end of the second quarter."