NCAA suspends three private jet operators for operating commercial flights
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the permit of three private jet operators for engaging in commercial flights.
This was according to a Riot Act on the NCAA’s website on Tuesday, signed by the Acting Director General, Captain Chris Najomo.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had on Monday warned private jet operators unlicensed to operate commercial services that their activities were causing the Federal Government a huge loss of revenue.
The minister issued the warning in an interview on Channels TV programme, Newsnight, on Monday.
Keyamo said, “Almost all these private jets are operating commercially resulting in a huge loss of revenue for the Federal Government because the licence to fly a private aircraft privately and the one to fly it commercially is so much.
“When it is commercial, the money paid to the Federal Government is so much. So, people now take licences from us to say I have just bought a private jet and I want to be using it for my business or to fly my friends and family, and we give them at a very low fee.
“However, the moment they are given, they carry passengers all over Nigeria doing six or eight flights a day. This is a notice to them on camera, I am coming for them because the president has given us a marching order, and we are not going to allow it.
“First, in terms of passengers’ safety, the regulation is low. Second, it is economic sabotage and I won’t allow that to happen. People who are my friends or the president’s friends, we will come down on them and, perhaps, ground all their planes. We will come very hard on them. In a matter of days or weeks, we are going to come down on them because we have to raise revenue for the Federal Government, ensure that the laws are kept and ensure the safety of Nigerians.”
However, expediting action on the warning issued, the acting DG of NCAA in a Riot Act on Tuesday, suspended three jet operators found guilty of engaging in commercial flights.
The acting DG disclosed that despite several warnings, these jet operators continued to engage in commercial flight operations, hence their suspension.
The message read, “Back in 2023, the use of private jets for commercial purposes had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.Punch
