Azman Air Services Limited remains grounded, with its staff continuing to face severe financial difficulties after more than a year on compulsory leave without pay.
The airline, which halted operations in August 2023 due to rising operational costs and extensive aircraft maintenance requirements, has yet to resume services or pay its employees.
The suspension, initially described as temporary, has stretched into an indefinite period, leaving the majority of Azman Air’s workforce in a precarious situation.
The airline cited ongoing C-checks—detailed and costly maintenance inspections—as the primary reason for grounding its fleet of Boeing 737s.
Two of these aircraft were sent to Turkey for maintenance, but delays at the facility have prolonged their return.
According to Azman Air spokesperson Nurudden Aliyu, the financial burden of maintaining the fleet while not generating revenue has overwhelmed the company.
“With our entire fleet still grounded, the financial overhead has become unmanageable.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to resume operations or meet our obligations to our staff,” Aliyu stated.
The decision to place all employees on leave without pay, effective from August 1, 2023, was formalized in an internal memo signed by the airline’s Human Resources Manager, Magaji Misau.
Only eight senior staff members were exempted from this measure, leaving the rest of the workforce
without income for over a year.
The prolonged suspension has exacerbated the economic hardship experienced by Azman Air employees, many of whom have been unable to secure alternative employment in a struggling job market. This situation reflects the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s aviation industry, where high operational costs, stringent maintenance requirements, and regulatory pressures continue to impact airlines’ viability.
Azman Air’s ongoing troubles follow a history of regulatory scrutiny. In 2021, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) temporarily suspended the airline’s operations after a series of safety incidents involving its Boeing 737 fleet. While the airline managed to address those concerns and resume operations, its current financial challenges have proven more difficult to overcome.
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As the suspension drags on with no clear resolution in sight, Azman Air employees and their families continue to bear the brunt of the airline’s economic woes, highlighting the dire situation within the aviation sector in Nigeria.
