NCAA Stops Airlines with Private Operator’s Certificate from Charter Service

In line with the directive given by the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, on Tuesday that airlines that embark on commercial charter service without the appropriate certificate would be closed down, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday named the airlines that were given certificate to operate as private airlines; not commercial charter service.

The regulatory body said any airline that does not have the appropriate certification would immediately be sanctioned.

“The public is hereby notified of the list of foreign registered privately-operated aircraft that have been issued with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Flight Operations Clearance Certificate (FOCC) and Maintenance Clearance Certificate
(MCC) whereby the owners are authorised to operate within Nigeria strictly for Private Operation Only and not for hire or reward (not for commercial purpose) according to Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 8.2.1.9,” NCAA disclosed.

The airlines with the licences for private operations are: Air First, ANAP Business Jets, ATT Aviation Support Limited, AVJET Corporation, BUA Group Limited, Chrome Air, Delmon Aviation./C&K, Dominion Air, EAN Aviation Limited and Executive Jets.

Others are: Toucan Aviation Support, Tag Aviation Limited, SWAT Technology Limited, Southern Air, Project Eagle Air Limited, Prime Air, Orlean Invest West Africa , NAMCO Nigeria Limited, Gyro Air Limited, Grenfact Ventures Limited, Gitto Construzioni and Ferry Aviation Development Services.

NCAA said the use of these operators’ aircraft for commercial operations would be in violation of the Nigeria CARs 9.1.1.4(a)(b) and would attract appropriate sanctions by the authority.

The airlines with private operator licence have been the major charter operators for years in Nigeria, thus eclipsing those who have the commercial licence to operate charter services and pay stipulated charges to the government.

To have commercial charter operator certificate, there are given conditions which must be met by the airline, including regular scrutiny of its operations by the NCAA, adequate maintenance of its aircraft according to given conditions by the regulatory body and retraining and medical check-up of the airline’s pilots.
Airlines with private operator’s certificate are exempted from the stipulated strict conditions and monitoring.

Source: Thisday