By Lawani Mikairu

Aero Contractors Airlines yesterday suspended flight operations with effect from today and placed members of staff on indefinite leave of absence.

Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, who disclosed this in a statement, said the development was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to the path of profitability.

Akinkuotu said: “This business decision, which is a result of the current economic situation in the country, has forced some other airlines to suspend operations or out rightly pull out of Nigeria.

‘’In the case of Aero, the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months, which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.’’

These factors, according to him, are both internal and external environmental factors that had made it difficult for the airline to continue its scheduled services.

He said during the period in review, Aero, which was hitherto revered for its safety and timeliness, witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external publics caused by non-alignment of fundamental issue of the business, which had been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties, including staff, customers and all stakeholders.”