Azman Air has directed nearly all its employees to go on compulsory unpaid leave, following the suspension of its operations.
In a circular dated August 3, 2023, signed by Human Resources Manager Magaji Mohammed Misau, the airline announced that only eight senior staff members would be exempt from this directive.
The circular, titled “Placement of Leave Without Pay,” stated: “As you are aware, our domestic operations have been put on hold due to the ongoing C-checks of our aircraft. The MROs have extended the expected completion time, and therefore, it has been decided that all staff will be placed on leave without pay, effective from August 1, 2023.”
Azman Air’s Public Relations Officer, Nurudeen Aliyu, explained that the mandatory maintenance of several aircraft was the reason behind the suspension of operations. He added that the airline plans to resume domestic flights in October 2024.
“Two of our aircraft are currently undergoing maintenance, and three others are due for C-checks, which is why we have temporarily halted our domestic operations. The financial overhead is substantial, so the management decided to pause the company’s activities,” Aliyu said.
Azman Air has previously encountered challenges, including the suspension of its license in 2022 due to a N1.2 billion debt from ticket sales and the expiration of critical documents.
