…minister orders comprehensive audit of airline
In furtherance of his averred overriding emphasis on passenger safety, Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, Wednesday, suspended the operations of Nigerian local aviators, Dana Airlines, a day after one of its aircraft skidded off the runway on landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
This will likely put some pressure on Nigeria’s domestic airline industry which is rife with daily flight delays and cancellations though industry regulations rightly emphasise safety above all else.
The suspension effectively grounds Dana Air’s eight aircraft and 1,316 seats from the local aviation industry while it lasts.
Dana Air operates two Boeing 737 aircraft, each with 166 seats, as well as one McDonnell Douglas (MD-82) aircraft with 148 seats and five McDonnel Douglas (MD-83) aircraft with 167 seats each, bringing the total number of seats on the airline’s fleet to 1,316.
In recent times, foreign exchange scarcity has made it difficult for the country’s domestic airlines to speedily effect aircraft repairs and maintenance, putting pressure on flight schedules and forcing cancellations and delays.
According to a report from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority titled ‘Executive summary on international and domestic flight operations’, a total of 11,321 (over 53 per cent) flight delays were recorded out of 21,295 flights, while 308 flights were cancelled in the first quarter of 2023.
The minister directed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to suspend Dana Air, pending a comprehensive audit of the airline. The audit will encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with the aviation sector’s regulations.
From its hub at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Dana Air currently operates domestically on the Lagos – Abuja; Lagos – Port Harcourt, Lagos – Uyo as well as the Port Harcourt – Abuja and Uyo – Abuja routes.
In a letter to the NCAA Director-General titled ‘Immediate Suspension of Dana Air Pending Safety and Financial Health Audit’, the minister said the move was necessary to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.
“As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana Airline have raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations,” read part of the letter signed by the Permanent Secretary to the Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole.
“In light of these incidents, arid with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the Honourable Minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana Airline’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted.
“This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations.”
Keyamo explained that the recent incident underscored the urgency of the matter, and the need for swift and decisive action to be taken to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders involved.
“I trust in your expertise and diligence in carrying out this audit thoroughly and expeditiously. Please keep me informed of the progress and any significant findings throughout this process,” he added.
The incident on Tuesday, had led the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to temporarily shut down runway 18L/36R at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos for flight operations.
The runway was reopened on Wednesday morning after FAAN’s emergency response team evacuated, and recovered the aircraft from the site.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, announced this in a statement.
She said subsequently, comprehensive clearing operations were conducted to ensure the runway was free of any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that could impede flight safety.
She added that the FAAN Operations Division and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had jointly conducted a thorough inspection of the runway surface and deemed it safe for the resumption of operations.
She also said an appropriate Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued in this regard.
“We acknowledge that the area affected by the overshoot was significantly muddy,” she said.
