Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
THE Senate has in a resolution suspended the issuance of Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to NG Eagle, an airline being floated by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) with immediate effect over a petition stating that the airline is using Arik Air assets to pursue the process.
This however may not be the true picture as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arik Air, Captain Roy Ilegbodu months ago explained said both airlines are entirely different entities and Arik aircraft livery were painted in NG Eagle colours because the assets were mortgaged for a loan and now the owners have taken possession of their assets. READ MORE; Clarifications on why Arik aircraft are painted in NG Eagle livery
In a letter made available to NigrianFLIGHTDECK on Thursday, said “the Senate Committee on Aviation has resolved a joint petition by the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch. The joint petition challenges the application for AOC by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to NG Eagle.
In an official letter addressed to the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), dated 11th October, 2021 and signed by the chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, the committee directed the NCAA to stop the issuance of AOC to NG Eagle based on the above petition.
“The petition categorically stipulated that the application for AOC is unrealistic and unfeasible as the debt profile of Arik Airlines which is presently under receivership by AMCON is enormous. Therefore, the notion that AOC be granted to NG Eagle while it uses Arik aircraft which accounts for part of the assets of Arik Airlines will invariably undermine the receivership.
The AOC is the approval granted by the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and system in place to ensure the safety of its employees and the general public.
