Captain Ado Sanusi, an aviation specialist and commentator, has refuted the Federal Government’s assertion that the contentious Nigeria Air will go into operation before to the next administration’s scheduled May 29 inauguration.
Sanusi, who is also the CEO of Aero Contractors, revealed this on Friday during an appearance on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily program. She said that the arrival of the aircraft did not imply that it would start conducting business any time soon due to the upcoming change in leadership.
In spite of the court decision halting the national carrier project, the aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, implied that the airline will start operating before the swearing-in event, according to an earlier story from the ANAEDOONLINE.
Sirika in a National Aviation Stakeholders Forum 2023 in Abuja on Thursday said, “Operation of local and international flights will commence soon. Before the end of this administration, before May 29, we will fly,” Mr Sirika said.
“Negotiation meetings with the Ethiopian Airlines Group Consortium and the Federal Government of Nigeria is ongoing. Next step: Federal Executive Council approval of the Full Business Case.”
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Countering his position, the aviation expert opined that it is practically impossible for the airline to start commercial passenger operation in two days’ time given the rigorous process involved which he believes would not be waived by the regulatory authority, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, as the whole world is watching.
He said, “It is one thing to bring the aeroplane to the country, it is another thing to start the airline, getting all the necessary approvals from NCAA.
“There’s a very important and vital component of getting an AOC, which is the demonstration flights. Of course, there are waivers that the Director General of the NCAA has the power to give, but the demonstration flights are critical to safe operations and I do not think he would give that waiver.
“So it is practically impossible for the airline to take off in the next two days. It is not possible,” he added.
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