Aero Contractors' Workers Call For Review of Airbus Agreement

Following the dwindling finances of Aero contractors leading to the management’s inability to meet up with salary obligations, workers of the airline have called for the review of the agreement that brought in two Airbus aircraft.

The two aircraft, it was learned were deployed to Aero Contractors lucrative routes while the original aircraft of the airline were have been rendered redundant by giving it sometimes one slot

An anonymous worker of the airline who spoke with our correspondent revealed that last Thursday out of the five Abuja slots for Aero contractors aircraft, four slots were given to the Airbus while only one slot was allotted to real Aero aircraft.

Our sources revealed that out of the 180 seats in the Airbus only three was allocated to Aero. The sources described the agreement as a way to strangle the airline and called for 10 per cent of the total seats to be given to the airline by Airbus

The 10 per cent sources said will amount to 18 seats saying it will be more honourable.

They called on the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) to speak up adding that their silence speak volume

“Aero has not owed salaries since the present management came on board but with the Airbus agreement, everything nosedived. Individuals are now getting the revenue that airline workers were supposed to be collecting as generated by Aero aircraft”

“As it is now, it is a one-sided agreement and we don’t know those that negotiated the agreement. There is nothing bad in having the Airbus planes in the Aero fleet but it should not be used to kill the airline as it is going now. Aero does not have a dine and it is difficult to pay workers salary. They said they have paid 70 per cent, the 70 per cent is for junior workers, the bulk of the salaries have not been paid “

The president of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) Comrade Abednego Galadima told our correspondent that the issue of Airbus will be looked into to examine the agreement

Only recently, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt Mahmood told our correspondent that the airline had issues in December adding that the situation will gradually improve when Aero aircraft under maintenance was out

Workers of the airline have threatened strike action should the management fail to address issues raised with them over workers welfare which include, lifting the suspension on their condition of Service, rightful placement, payment of salaries and withdrawal of the two Airbus aircraft from Aero lucrative routes