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Exclusive: Arik Air uses Kingfisher seating

Published: 10/12/2008 - Filed under: News »

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Nigerian carrier Arik Air is to launch flights from London to Lagos on December 15, and it will do so using aircraft and seating designed for Kingfisher Airlines.

Arik took over the bankrupt Nigeria Airways in 2006, and currently plies domestic routes within Nigeria as well as flights to Accra in Ghana. The airline recently took delivery of its first of three A340-500 aircraft, planes originally destined for Kingfisher Airlines before it was forced to shelve the order.

A quick look at the pictures on Arik’s website shows that the carrier will be using the same fully-flat seating product originally intended for Kingfisher, as well as the communal bar for premium passengers. This is a coup for an airline which will be going head-to-head with BA and Virgin Nigeria on the route.

There will be 201 economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout, and 36 Premier seats in a 2-2-2 configuration (see our exclusive seatplan below). Assuming there are no changes from the Kingfisher product, this will mean fully-flat beds with vibrating massage functions and lumbar support with a touchscreen control on the armrest, a 17-inch (43cm) screen with IFE remote in the side of the seat, mirrored privacy screen, in-seat power and USB connectors, personal reading light, and mood lighting.

What’s more Premier passengers will be able to enjoy a communal bar area with white leather sofas on each side and a bar in the middle with three stools.

Flights will depart London Heathrow daily at 2205, arriving into Lagos at 0530 the next day, with the return leg leaving Nigeria at 0920 and landing back into London at 1450. Arik says it has secured traffic rights to 11 additional destinations, including New York, Sao Paulo, Dubai and Beijing.

For more information visit arikair.com.

Report by Mark Caswell

Seatplan for Arik Air A340-500 aircraft

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COMMENTS » 

JJ51435 - 14/12/2008 19:06

First, how an airline - in this case Kingfisher - gets out of an aircraft purchasing order? Second, Airbus - or the leasing company - must have been very happy to unload 3 ready to fly airplanes and third, Kingfisher is still expanding its route network: how does it manage to do so without 3 aircraft it specially ordered from Airbus?

LondonCity01 - 18/12/2008 23:01

The A340-500s were acquired by Kingfisher specificially to operate non-stop flights between Bangalore and San Francisco.

That route will not now go ahead so that's why these craft are surplus to requirements.

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