DANA Air has grounded its aircraft involved in a pre-takeoff incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) on May 2, 2022.
The aircraft had 50 people on board when it began to sprout flames on the runway, according to a video seen by The ICIR.
Dana Air MD-83 suffers a brake fire following an aborted takeoff from Port Harcourt Airport in Nigeria. All passengers and crew evacuated safely. https://t.co/oY4E61LkPc pic.twitter.com/vGfYpzwIbY
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 3, 2022
This action forced the pilot to abort the takeoff procedure, allowing passengers to disembark from the plane safely.
A spokesman for the airline, Kingsley Ezenwa, told The ICIR that no lives were lost. It also added that the plane with registration marks, 5N JOY, had been grounded.
The statement read, “Our aircraft, with registration number 5N JOY, operating flight 9J 344 from Port Harcourt to Lagos, on 2nd of May 2022, was set to take off when the pilot in command noticed an anomaly, which he queried with the Air Traffic Control (ATC), before embarking on a ramp return, in line with our strict safety operating procedures.
“However, the impact on the brakes as a result of the aborted take-off affected the aircraft tyres, which sparked off while the aircraft was taxiing to repark.
“All 50 passengers on board the aircraft disembarked safely and our maintenance team immediately grounded the aircraft pending the conclusion of their investigations.”
Ezenwa apologised to the passengers for the inconveniences, as well as for the eventual cancellation of the flight.
He also assured passengers of safety, in accordance with the civil aviation regulations.
Last month, a former legal adviser in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Sanya Ogunkuade, dragged Dana Air Limited before Justice A. O. Ebong of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja over an alleged breach of agreement and flight cancellation without alternative provisions.
The plaintiff, in the suit marked CV/093/2022 filed by his counsel, Ayodele Gatta and Dayo Ayilara, demanded N100 million “for the agony, trauma, mental torture, embarrassment and public disrepute,” to which he said he was subjected as a result of the defendant’s “reckless and most irresponsible acts.”
He also asked for N25m jointly and severally, being the cost of the litigation against the defendants.
The plaintiff also claimed N200,000 “special damages” against Dana Air Limited for the purchase of alternative tickets on the days in question and “other incidents expenses/costs occasioned by the unexpected and unwarranted rescheduling and cancellation” of his flight on the days in question.
Similarly, Ogunkuade prayed the court to pronounce a perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant (Dana Air Limited) “from plying or operating in the Nigerian Airspace for a period of 10 calendar years.”
Also seeking N550m in damages for what she described as the humiliation, is a passenger in a wheelchair, Gloria Nwogbo, in a separate suit, who accused the carrier of discrimination for preventing her from boarding after purchasing an air ticket.
The suit was filed on her behalf by the Registered Trustees of the Disability Rights Protection Initiative, a civil society organisation.
Air Peace, Dana Air and Max Air were cited as airlines that recorded the most delayed flights at Nigerian airports in 2021, according to an ICIR report.
However, in terms of the number of flights carried out in the year by a carrier over the number of delays, Overland topped the chart at 84 per cent, while Dana Air and Azman came second with 64 per cent.
Experienced Business reporter seeking the truth and upholding justice. Covered capital markets, aviation, maritime, road and rail, as well as economy. Email tips to jolaoluwa@icirnigeria.org. Follow on Twitter @theminentmuyiwa and on Instagram @Hollumuyiwah.