By Dipo Olowookere
Reports say another airline operator in Nigeria has suspended its operations barely 24 hours after Aero Contractors Airlines temporarily shut down.
This time, it is First Nation Airlines, another domestic carrier.
On Wednesday, Aero Contractors Airlines, Nigeria’s second largest commercial carrier, announced an indefinite suspension of its scheduled flight services and its staff with effect from Thursday, September 1, 2016.
On Thursday, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed that First Nation Airlines has suspended its operations due to “an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircrafts.”
It further disclosed that, “Another aircraft is due for mandatory maintenance as allowed by the regulatory authority.”
These reasons were made known by the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, in a statement.
“The First Nation Airlines on its part is in the middle of an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircrafts. Another aircraft is due for mandatory maintenance as allowed by the regulatory authority.
“In these circumstances, these airlines clearly cannot continue to undertake schedule operations, hence the inevitable recourse to self-regulatory suspension,” Capt. Usman explained in the statement.
He, however, denied claims that some of the domestic airlines were winding down their operations because of economic hardship, but for maintenance purposes.
