Louis Iba,
Aero Contractors Airline has recalled 69 of its staff laid-off in 2017.
A breakdown of the recalled staff according to a source in the airline indicated that 19 of them were pilots and engineers, while 41 were administrative staff and nine others cabin crew members. The source explained that some of the workers were recalled late December 2017, while others were recalled in January 2018.
The General Secretary of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Mr. Frances Akinjola, yesterday confirmed the recall of the affected staff to aviation correspondents.
Akinjola commended the management of Aero Contractors for fulfilling its promise of recalling some of the workers who were declared redundant in 2017, saying the various unions in the industry were carried along throughout the recall period.
About a week ago, the airline had successfully carried out a C-check on a Boeing 737-500 aircraft at its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos. The feat performed by a team of local engineers in partnership with a foreign technical partner sets the airline on the path of profitability as it would now earn greater income fixing spoilt aircraft for local airlines and those from neighbouring countries. It also means the airline is now able to repair its own aircraft at a much reduced cost. It cost an average of $1.8 to $2million to carry out a C-check on an aircraft abroad.