Less than three weeks after suspending the operations of
Dana Air to pave the way for a safety audit of the carrier’s operations, the
aviation industry regulator, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has
grounded the operations of IRS Airlines and Chanchangi Airlines. It was
gathered that the suspension followed a memo signed by the Director-General of
the NCAA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, ordering all scheduled airline operators
whose fleet size had been reduced to only one operational aircraft to immediately
stop flight operations, Punch reports. The
memo, which was addressed to all scheduled airline operators and dated October
14, 2013, has as its reference number, NCAA/DG/GEN/Vol.II/2013/80.
The memo, reads:
“You will recall that recently, the NCAA, through the
director-general, expressly suspended the continued operation of airlines
possessing otherwise valid Air Operators Certificate, but who were operating
with a single aircraft.
“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority regulations provide
for more than a single aircraft for any operator to secure or operate under a
valid AOC.
“This directive is, therefore, issued to formalise and
clarify that prior order suspending such operations. As such, all AOC holders
or operators whose operational fleet has been reduced to a single operational
aircraft for whatever reason shall immediately and forthwith suspend their
flight operations.
“Such operations may only resume upon clearance from the
NCAA that there is more than one operational aircraft for continued flight operations
and satisfaction that such AOC holder has the capacity to have safe flight
operations prior to commencing any such operation.”
Following the directive, IRS and Chanchangi’s operations
have been grounded by the regulatory authority.
The development has brought to four, the number of airlines
whose operations have been suspended by the regulator in the last three weeks,
following the Associated Airlines’ plane crash in Lagos on October 3.
Associated Airlines’ operation was suspended by the NCAA
three days after the tragic crash involving its Embraer 120 plane near the
Lagos airport, which led to the death of 15 people.
Two days later on October 6, the regulator suspended the
operations of Dana Air nationwide.
14 Comments
If not for the grandfather of almost all Nigerians called MR CORRUPTION, chachangi airline should and must have been grounded THIRTY(30) years ago. This is a decision taken so so late, unfortunately, this grounding is for awhile.
ReplyDeleteYeah!!! U re right there.
DeleteHehehehe!! Ugly indeed.
ReplyDeleteAll these decisions are dey nt too late? Chachangi is a fearful sight most times, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteMost xs I feel nig is heading to sm kind of crash! God forbid...
ReplyDeleteSo they re aware these flights re nt gud all these yrs? Mtchewwwwwwww!!!
ReplyDeleteGood move...they just wake up to it.
ReplyDeleteEven de most trusted Arik don de get fault
ReplyDeleteAviation ministry needs total redress & fresh life
ReplyDeleteKabo nko??
ReplyDeleteSme of aircraft ve bcm kabu kabu,stop & park buh un4tunatly thr is no parking space fr air, once it stops,its dat 4biden story..God help us.
ReplyDelete9ice step but too late thou
ReplyDeleteNigeria wil survive
ReplyDeleteThid one na bad news.. Chanchangi na flight? Na pipo wey juju de enter there.
ReplyDelete