Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, was among those present at the weekend, when the state made history in Nigeria’s aviation industry with the delivery of the first of 10 brand new Airbus A220-300 series airplanes earlier signed during his tenure in 2021.
Ibom Air was founded in 2019 during the administration of Mr Udom Emmanuel and two years later, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, he led a delegation from Ibom Air to the Dubai Air show where he met and reached a firm agreement with Airbus for the procurement of 10 new A220-300 series airplanes.
Subsequently, on Friday, in Montreal, Canada, Mr Emmanuel was with top management staff of Ibom Air that inspected and received the first aircraft at the Airbus’ Mirabel facility.
Daily Trust reports that Ibom Air had in November 2021 signed an agreement for the 10 aircraft valued at $902m.
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The Chief Executive Officer of Airbus, Benoit Schultz, Vice-President, Daniel Wenninger, Head of Airbus A220 Delivery Centre, Marc Arpin, and Cyrille Picard, Sales Director Middle-East & Africa made the presentation of the new Airbus aircraft.
Leading top management officers of Ibom Air were the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, Captain Mfon Udom, and the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Mr George Uriesi.
Speaking at the occasion, Emmanuel said Ibom Air is the first airline to take delivery of the all-new Airbus A220 in Nigeria.
He recalled that during his time as governor, he had envisaged Ibom Air becoming a dominant player in the aviation sector within the West African and African aviation hub and commended Governor Umo Eno for sustaining the aviation development project of the state.
The Airbus A220-300 stands at the forefront of modern aviation technology, garnering global recognition for its revolutionary fuel efficiency, cutting-edge technology, and top-notch passenger comfort and safety features.
The aircraft is adaptable for short and medium-haul commercial operations, with a range of up to seven hours (up to 3,450 nautical miles).
The Chief Executive Officer said, “The introduction of the Airbus A220-300 to our fleet is a game-changing leap forward for Ibom Air.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, who was elated by the addition of the aircraft to Ibom Air fleet, said Nigerian carriers are getting stronger and stronger by the day, adding that it is the first time in the history of aviation in Nigeria that different domestic carriers are ordering brand new equipment.
