Ime Akpan
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued Air Operator’s Licence (AOC) to Akwa Ibom state-owned Ibom Air.
NCAA source told NewsGazette on Thursday in Lagos that the issuance of AOC was proof that the carrier which has already had three aircraft in its fleet, had met all the conditions to start scheduled operations.
The three aircraft, Bombardier CRJ 900 with 90 passenger capacity, are scheduled to ply the Uyo-Lagos-Abuja route.
According to a statement from the airline’s website, the airline had to go through a painstakingly thorough certification process in order to be given the ‘nod’ to operate.
“Based on our commitment to operate to world class standards, Ibom Air submitted itself totally to the process. The process in Nigeria, in terms of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, is designed to take at least nine months to complete. In the case of Ibom Air, we are pleased to say that we completed the process under seven months.
“Ibom Air commends the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the objective, professional, competent and thorough manner in which it has conducted our certification process thus far. All our three aircraft were ferried into Nigeria from Canada on their Canadian registration, which is normal, for insurance purposes.
“But as soon as they arrived in Nigeria, they were de-registered from Canada and assumed their Nigerian registration (5N-BWK, 5N-BWL and 5N-BWM respectively), which they have borne until today,” said the airline.
