Claims that airlines in the country may be wounding down operations due to the economic recession have been dismissed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

Muhtar Usman, Director General of NCAA, explained that the airlines were merely suspending their operations temporarily to enable them undertake certain operational overhaul and strengthen their overall operational outlay.

“One of the airlines, Aero Contractors Ltd., at present has only one serviceable aircraft,” Usman said.

“This is in contradiction to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations which stipulates that no airlines operator shall carry out schedule commercial operation with only one aircraft.

“The minimum acceptable number is three aircraft.

“In other words, any airlines with one aircraft is in contravention of the NCAA regulations, therefore cannot be adjudged to be capable of providing safe operation.

“The only option available for such airlines is to suspend its operations temporarily while other aircraft arrive in due course,” the NCAA DG clarified.

Usman, said that the agency’s Regulations provided a window for operators to embark on non-schedule operations in the interim.

He also said further that another airline, First Nation Airlines, was carrying out an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircraft.

“In these circumstances, these airlines clearly cannot continue to undertake schedule operations, hence the inevitable recourse to self-regulatory suspension.”

The NCAA boss maintained that the agency would not compromise the safety and security of airlines operations in the airspace.

He said that every facet of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and Standard and Recommended Practices must be adhered to with due diligence.