VALUEJET airline said it had entered into a sub-lease and operational services agreement with the Cross River state-owned airline, Cally Air.

The agreement would allow the airline to manage and operate two Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets on behalf of Cally Air.

The leases will be formally held by ValueJet through the airline’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

Commenting on the sub-lease agreement, the Managing Director of ValueJet, Omololu Oladapo Majekodunmi, was reported on Tuesday, August 12, to have said, “We are pleased to partner with Cally Air and Cross River State to bring the two CRJ1000s into commercial service quickly and safely.

“This arrangement leverages ValueJet’s regional operations experience to expand reliable connectivity for travellers to and from locations within and outside Nigeria,” he added.

In a statement posted on Cross River State’s official Facebook page, the state Commissioner for Aviation, Imah Eno Utum, noted that “while the two aircraft, Boeing 747, earlier acquired by the immediate past government of Senator Ben Ayade, are being operated by Aero Contractors.

“The newly procured Bombardier CRJ1000 would be operated by Valuejet Airline, pending when the state government secures an Air operational Certification to operate as an independent airline,” Utum added.

Cally Air is the Cross River State Government’s state-owned airline.

It initially partnered with a domestic airline but has now gone into a sub-lease operational services deal with ValueJet to provide operational support.

In July this year, Cross River State took delivery of the first two leased CRJ1000ERs, marking the type’s return to active service on the African continent.

ValueJet has recently been in the news for a breach of safety protocol by its pilots.

The incident happened at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 5. The ICIR had reported.

It occurred as a result of ValueJet pilots’ negligence in the safe procedure and a popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, known as K1 De Ultimate,’s unruly behaviour at the airport.

As a result, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had to take enforcement action against the ValueJet pilot, Oluranti Ogoyi and the co-pilot, Ivan Oloba, suspending their licences with immediate effect.

The aviation authority further placed the musician on a ‘no-fly’ list pending a thorough investigation into the matter.