Arik Air has introduced a new mobile booking service to further boost its passenger experience.

The announcement follows Arik’s decision to partner with mobile commerce firm SlimTrader to provide the service as part of a raft of changes in the coming months, aimed at revamping its technology offering and enhancing the airline’s customer experience.

Arik is the largest commercial carrier in west and central Africa.

The new features provide customers with a convenient way to book and pay for flights, along with access to important travel information, using their mobile phones and tablets.

The flight booking service is currently available to anyone with a Nigerian bank card.

Arik Air chief executive Michael Arumemi-Ikhide commented: “The popularity of mobile commerce has increased massively in Africa of late and we decided to introduce the service to empower our customers.

“Mobile penetration far exceeds the reach of the internet in Nigeria and west Africa and this new mobile gateway enhances our customers’ ability to search, select, book and pay for our services. 

“The adoption of such innovations positions us as a modern operator, using cutting edge technology to improve ease of service and customer interaction.

“We will be making a number of additional upgrades to our technology offering over the coming months in a bid to further enhance the service we offer travelers who fly with us.”