Nigerian carrier, Arik Air says it
is boosting its regional network expansion with the launch of
scheduled flight services between Lagos and three cities: Cotonou
in Benin Republic, Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Bamako in Mali.
The airline states that the new services will be launched in
October 2011 and it will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and
Saturdays.
Arik discloses that the
Lagos-Cotonou-Ouagadougou-Bamako route will be served with a
state-of-the-art Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft. It adds that the
CRJ900 is configured to seat 10 passengers in the Business Class
and 64 in Economy.
Arik Air's Group Chief Executive,
Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide notes thus: "The commencement of
services between Lagos and the cities of Cotonou, Ouagadougou and
Bamako is significant because it marks the end of years of limited
air links between Nigeria and the respective countries.
The inauguration is coming at a
time when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is
seeking closer relations among countries in the region."