Hours after Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors, ended, at least for now, its scheduled flights, another airline suspended its operations because it has only one aircraft.
First Nation Airways “technically suspended its operations” in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARS), which stipulates that no airline operator shall carry out schedule commercial operation with only one aircraft, the regulators said in a statement on Thursday. The minimum acceptable number is three aircraft.
In a statement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, the regulators said First Nation Airline was in the middle of an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircraft, while another aircraft is due for mandatory maintenance as its allowable by the regulatory authority.
“In these circumstances, these airlines clearly cannot continue to undertake schedule operations, hence the inevitable recourse to self regulatory suspension,” The DG said.
The regulatory body dismissed the insinuations making the rounds that some airlines are winding down their operations.
The Director General stated that on the contrary, these airlines were merely suspending their operations temporarily to enable them undertake certain operational overhaul and strengthen their overall operational outlay.
Aero Contractors, he said, presently the airline has only one serviceable aircraft, a contravention to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations NCARS.
“Every facet of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARS) and Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) must be adhered to with due diligence. In addition, everything has been put in place to continue our to ensure compliance,” he said.
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