Nigeria's flag carrier will recommence flights between Abuja and London Heathrow next month with increased capacity.
From December 12, Arik Air will fly daily between the two capitals using a B737-800 aircraft in a two-class configuration (16 in business, 126 in economy).
The flight will depart Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 11:35 and arrive in London at 17:05. From Heathrow, the flight will leave at 21.45, arriving into Abuja at 05.10.
The airline discontinued its five times weekly Abuja-London service in October without giving a reason, after serving the route since 2009.
Arik Air has now said this was partly due to “extraneous factors including operational considerations to support the regional programme ahead of the airline’s launch to new destinations in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali” - the so-called Savannah Express service due to launch December 6.
Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, Arik Air's CEO, said: “We fully intended on flying the route again and we are glad that we have been able to fulfill this intention before the end of the year."
Ikhide also thanked the British and Nigerian governments for "coming to agreeable terms which increases the capacity now in to and out of Nigeria".
He added: “The increased capacity on the route is desperately needed, especially for non-stop services.”
Arik Air also flies daily between London Heathrow and Lagos, Nigeria's largest city.