Nigerian airline halts UK flights in landing-slots row

Arik Air, the major air carrier in Nigeria, says it will suspend flights from the oil-rich nation’s capital to London over an ongoing dispute with the United Kingdom over landing slots.

In a statement yesterday, the carrier said its Abuja-London route would stop over its lack of slots at London’s Heathrow Airport.

The Nigerian airline has said a government agreement entitles local airlines to 21 slots at UK airports, but the airline refused to pay increased rates for some Heathrow slots, which are administered by a private company.

The company suspended flights for some time last year, sparking a dispute between Nigeria and the UK that saw British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways fined £235m over alleged inflated ticket prices. Those fines have since been dropped.