The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has recently suspended the permits of three private jet operators for violating regulations by conducting commercial flights.
Acting Director General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, announced the suspension of these three private operators, stressing that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had previously mandated the discontinuation of private jet use for commercial purposes by 2023.
Despite this directive, these operators persisted in engaging in such activities, leading to their suspension.
“In March 2024, the NCAA issued a strong warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF), cautioning against involvement in the carriage of passengers, cargo, or mail for hire and reward,” Najomo stated.
“The Authority also deployed officials to monitor private jet activities at terminals across Nigerian airports.
“As a result of this increased surveillance, at least three private operators were found to be in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
“In adherence to our strict stance against regulatory violations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators.”
However, the names of the suspended private jet operators were not disclosed in the statement.
Najomo further remarked, “To further regulate the general aviation sector, I have instructed a reassessment of all PNCF holders to be completed by April 19, 2024, to confirm compliance with regulatory standards.
“All PNCF holders must submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.
“This directive also applies to existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who employ aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.
“It is crucial to note that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized for use in providing charter services. AOC holders wishing to utilize aircraft for charter operations must seek approval from the NCAA to remove the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it in the AOC operations specification.”
He emphasized that the public should only patronize airline charter operators holding a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA when seeking charter operations services.
He urged legitimate players in the aviation industry to promptly report the activities of such unscrupulous individuals to the authorities for appropriate action.
