Med-View Airline says it is not indebted to the Gatwick Airport authorities

Med-View Airline says it is not indebted to the Gatwick Airport authorities

….suspends Dubai operations

Med-View Airline yesterday said it was not indebted to the Gatwick Airport Authorities nor its European handlers, Mendez. This is just as the airline announced the suspension of its Lagos- Dubai operations till March 2018 when it will complete its own aircraft’s refurbishment.

Managing Director of Med-view, Alhaji Muneer Bankole disclosed this at the airline’s corporate headquarters in Lagos while reacting to allegations by an online publication that it was due to debts that its London operations had suffered in the last few days.

 Bankole explained that Med-View has paid the Gatwick Airport Authority about “£1.45million as at today and this can be verified”. According to him, the airport authority asks for money upfront for services not rendered, adding that Med-view “was paying for future operations which is not the same anywhere.”

“Consequently, we have taken measures on our Lagos-London route, which will now be serviced by an alternative aircraft currently in operation. We will also maintain three weekly flights”.

On the suspension of Dubai route, the Med-View Managing Director explained that due to the refurbishment of its aircraft on the route, it will have to suspend the Dubai service.

He said: “We have shut down Dubai operations till March when our aircraft B767-300ER Christened ‘ABEKE’ returns from a complete refurbishment in the United Kingdom. Passengers who have booked with us will be flown to their destinations via interline agreements.”

Bankole also revealed that it had serious challenges with its European partners over aircraft leased stating that it had not met the airline’s requirement in providing the necessary capacity.

According to him:  “while we want to leave the past behind us, it is imperative to say that we have issues with our European partners over aircraft we leased from them. From all indications, this aircraft has not been able to meet our requirement in providing the necessary capacity. The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK-CAA) has been supportive of our efforts when it dawned on them that the issues had to do with aircraft.”

He also explained that the airline will still continue its Jeddah schedule via Kano explaining that the new biometric requirements by the Saudi Authorities may cause hitches and dwindling traffic but that it will be resolved.

“We will continue to maintain our Jeddah schedule every Thursday via Kano until the issue of biometrics, which is now a requirement, is resolved.”