First Nation defies NCAA, operates flights with one aircraft- Investigation

.We’re monitoring the airline- Spokesman

.Agency may certify Abuja airport today

First Nation airways with only one aircraft is still operating scheduled flights as against the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA’s) directive to the airline few months ago to commence charter operations.

Investigation at the airport by The Daily Times revealed that passengers purchased normal tickets across the counter for their flights.

NCAA had few months ago at a media briefing said that the airline has been ordered to commence charter flights.
But the airline has been selling tickets across the counter to passengers at the MM2 in Lagos.

The Daily Times recalls that at a media briefing by the Director-General of the Nigerian NCAA, Captain Muhtar Shaibu Usman, declared that First Nation Airways has been downgraded to charter flight operators.

The NCAA DG said: “Yes, they use one aircraft; and they were on schedule services, but the present status now is that the certificate of the airworthiness of the status has been changed to non-scheduled service, which is charter service. So, they are no longer into schedule service until they are able to meet the requirement for scheduled service.”

After series of crashes, the Federal Government banned airlines from using a single aircraft to operate in the country, while starting an airline.

The First Nation Airways had three Airbus aircraft, but only one has been operating since the beginning on the year, therefore, falling into the category on single aircraft users.

Muhtar explained at the briefing that the airline had downscaled its operations from schedule operator to non-schedule, saying that, ” the status would remain so until it improved its aircraft fleet to at least two and would have to meet the requirements for schedule services”.

Reacting to the development, the General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, said the regulatory body has been monitoring the operations of the airline.

“We had a meeting with them and worked out a plan, charter or no charter, the programme we had is that they will not run more than three flights daily with the aircraft that they have.”

Adurogboye said the NCAA does not want the aircraft to rot on ground, adding that the programme was being reviewed at three months interval.

He said the NCAA has the airline’s recorded and was closely monitoring them to ensure they comply with safety.
Adurogboye insisted that the airline was not operating with only one aircraft during its startup, adding that it was applicable to new airlines.

Meanwhile, from all indications, the NCAA will certify the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja tentatively and hand the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) the certificate as a confirmation that the airport has met standard on Thursday (today).

The Daily Times learnt from a well-placed source in the regulatory authority that tentatively, the NCAA DG would be in Abuja to present the certificate to FAAN.

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos was certified few months ago while that of Abuja was slated for later date due to funding (since the audit cost a lot) the certification of the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport was stalled to enable the completion of the MMIA.

The certification process is carried out on the international airports to make sure they meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and according to the source, the NCAA will certify the MMIA and also follow up to ensure it is sustained.

“Getting the certification is a big deal, but sustaining the standard is what matters and that is what FAAN will have to contend with because in truth, the NCAA will not certify an airport that is not up to standard seeing that whatever we do is subject to ICAO ratification so it’s not going to happen that we will certify an airport that is sub-standard,” were the words of Usman when the MMIA was certified.

The certification of the NAIA brings to two the number of certified international airports in Nigeria as the current Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had promised after taking office that the present administration would ensure that all airports are certified.

In a related development, the FAAN has opened a new entrance to the multi-storey car park at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The agency said the measure was taken as part of effort to improve ground facilitation; and enhancing safety, security and comfort of the travelling public.

The new entrance, according to Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Public Affairs, FAAN, is situated along the Airline Services Limited (ASL)/Blue Lodge Hotel Road, and which became operational on Wednesday, will ease vehicular traffic on the main road leading to the departure frontage.

Yakubu said with the added facility, there is now an alternative entrance for airport users desirous of using the car park; and facilitation will greatly improve, especially as the Yuletide season, usually characterised by heavy vehicular and human traffic is fast approaching.

She appealed to travellers and other airport users to ensure they comply with parking rules and other security regulations at the airport.

She that FAAN will continue to deliver on its core values of safety, service and comfort.

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, Lagos