THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it had cleared Max Air to resume domestic operations after suspending the airline for 90 days to carry out a safety audit.

The resumption notice was contained in a statement released at midnight of Monday, March 17, by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu.

It said, “Following the successful completion of an economic and safety audit, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved Max Air to resume its domestic flight operations.”

The NCAA suspended Max Air operations on January 31.

The suspension followed an incident involving one of its aircraft at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

A Max Air aircraft, B734, with registration 5N-MBD, on landing at the Kano Airport at about 10:51 pm, reportedly suffered a wheel landing gear collapse and a tyre burst.

Six crew members and 53 passengers were onboard, but none suffered any major injuries during the incident.

The NCAA said Max Air suspended its operations to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management.

“Max Air voluntarily suspended its domestic operations for 90 days after a series of incidents on its flights.

“This decision, effective from midnight on January 31, 2025, was welcomed by the NCAA,” the agency stated.

During the suspension period, the NCAA said it conducted a thorough safety and economic audit of the airline.

“The safety audit involved a comprehensive re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

“This audit took place from 26th to 28th February 2025. Given the results of the audit, which confirm Max Air’s capacity to sustain safe flight operations, the airline will resume domestic flights, effective from midnight on March 17, 2025,” the Aviation authority said.

The NCAA promised to continue to monitor Max Air closely through an enhanced surveillance programme to ensure strict compliance with its regulations.

It added that it would remain committed to ensuring that all airlines adhere to the highest safety standards for the continued well-being of the aviation industry.