Aduragbemi Omiyale
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the wet-lease aircraft in the operations of United Nigeria Airlines has been suspended by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
A wet-leased is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or other type of business acting as a broker of air travel (the lessee), which pays by hours operated.
The regulator decided to suspend the plane after one of the flights of the airline destined for Abuja from Lagos landed in Asaba, Delta State, over the weekend.
While the company claimed the plane was diverted to Asaba because of poor weather in Abuja, the federal government said there was no issue with the weather.
The situation forced the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, to summon all heads of agencies under his supervision for a meeting on Tuesday.
On Monday night, the NCAA said it has suspended an aircraft operated by United Nigeria Airlines until after the conclusion of the investigation into the incident.
In a statement signed by the Director General of NCAA, Mr Musa Nuhu, it was disclosed that, “NCAA has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding United Nigeria flight NUA 0506 to Asaba and the confusion it has created in the public domain.
“However, preliminary steps have been taken pending conclusions of ongoing investigation.
“The authority wishes to reassure the travelling public that it will leave no stone unturned as it has always done in the past to ensure the continued safety of the aviation industry.”
