…as NCAA lists non-active, expired cert holders
At least 27 applications for Air Operator Certificate (AOC) are being processed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), findings by Daily Trust have shown.
This is as the authority has published the list of active, expired and suspended AOC holders indicating that out of 38 operating airlines comprising scheduled and non-scheduled (charter) carriers, eight have their AOCs either suspended, expired or not active.
The AOC is the certificate obtained by a prospective airline to start flight operation in addition to the Air Transport Certificate.
But the AOC is the most complicated and cumbersome process involving five rigorous stages and procedures as well as conditions that an airline must fulfil before being allowed to operate scheduled or charter operation.
The report on Air Operator Certificate Holders’ Listing published by NCAA, showed the eight airlines as Associated Aviation Limited, Chanchangi Airlines Limited, First Nation Airways, Hak Air Limited, Kabo Airlines Limited, King Airlines Limited, Skyjet Aviation Services Limited and TopBrass Aviation Limited.
According to the report, Associated Airline’s AOC has been suspended though it is expected to expire on June 19, 2019.
Chanchangi Airlines, founded by businessman, Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi who passed on in April 2017 aged 86, was listed as not active as the license expired in February this year. First Nation Airways on its part had its AOC listed as not active after the airline was downgraded from scheduled to non-scheduled over lack of aircraft.
Its AOC would expire on July 30, 2019.
Also, the AOC of Kabo Airlines Limited expired in January 2019 after being dormant for years while the AOCs of Skyjet and Top Brass airlines have expired.
Top Brass especially has been in a running battle with NCAA over an aircraft purchase deal which is now a subject of litigation.
Of the 30 airlines with active AOC, eight operate scheduled flights. They are Arik Air, Air Peace, Med-View Airline, Aero Contractors, Max Air, Dana Air, Azman Air and Overland Airways. The others operate non-scheduled charter operations.
Daily Trust learnt that the publication of the AOC holders’ list was to stop unauthorized charter operations.
Meanwhile, 27 prospective airlines are in different stages of AOC application processing, the spokesman of NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, confirmed in an enquiry by our correspondent.
While some of the carriers are in stage two, others are on stages three and four respectively.
