Azman Air shuts down operation, orders staff to go on ‘compulsory leave’

In response to a confluence of challenges including the ongoing comprehensive maintenance checks on its aircraft and the escalating operational costs, Azman Air Services Limited has taken the decision to enforce mandatory unpaid leave for all its employees.

Nurudden Aliyu, the airline’s spokesperson, conveyed that the rationale behind this decision is multi-faceted, encompassing the ongoing maintenance checks on the aircraft and the financial strain caused by operations.

Azman Air has temporarily suspended its flight operations, a step attributed to the imperative maintenance requirements of its domestic fleet, particularly its fleet of 737 aircraft which are all scheduled for C-checks. The C-check procedure involves a thorough evaluation, overhaul, repairs, replacement of parts, and preventive maintenance, as stipulated in the aircraft manufacturer’s maintenance manuals.

As part of the maintenance process, two of the airline’s aircraft were dispatched to a maintenance facility in Turkey. However, delays have occurred due to a backlog in the maintenance hangar, impacting the expected completion timeline.

Nurudden Aliyu further elucidated that while one of the aircraft is nearing 90% completion, the overhead costs associated with such maintenance are significant. In light of this financial strain, the management has opted to suspend the company’s operations temporarily.

An internal memorandum titled ‘Placement of Leave Without Pay’ has been circulated to the airline’s staff, bearing the signature of Magaji Misau, the Human Resources Manager. The memo mandates all staff to undertake leave without pay, effective from August 1, 2023. The memo outlines that this decision is a consequence of the temporary cessation of domestic operations due to ongoing aircraft C-checks, which have been extended beyond the initial timeline projected by maintenance service providers.

The memo reads, “The management (has) directed to write and communicate its decision that all staff have been placed on leave without pay with effect from August 1, 2023.” Notably, only eight senior staff members have been exempted from this compulsory leave arrangement.

It’s pertinent to recall that Azman Air faced a suspension of operations involving its Boeing 737 aircraft two years ago. This occurred in the wake of a series of incidents that raised safety concerns, prompting the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to temporarily ground all Boeing 737 aircraft within the airline’s fleet.