Suspension of Max Air operations won’t affect hajj airlift — NAHCON

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said the indefinite suspension of Max Air domestic operations by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will not affect its hajj airlift operation in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement yesterday, NAHCON’s Deputy Director, Information & Publications Division, Mousa Ubandawaki, said the suspension order is limited to their domestic air services, which did not affect their charter and international operations.

Ubandawaki said, “It is imperative to clarify that the suspension does not and won’t affect the ongoing hajj airlift operation in Saudi Arabia.

“The clarification became necessary to assuage and calm the pilgrims and relatives back at home that the suspension order is limited to their domestic air services which does not affect their charter and international operations.

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 “This is because the clampdown was on the Airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft which has been the crux of the NCAA audit query for some time. The aircraft being used for airlift of Nigerian pilgrims is not the same as the one on their domestic route.”

He assured that the ongoing airlift of Nigerian pilgrims would continue undisturbed and the airline would continue to utilise the slots allocated to it by the Saudi General Authority in Civil Aviation (GACA) unhindered.