The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that Max Air will suspend its operations for three months, effective 31 January, amidst safety concerns.
This decision was announced amid an ongoing investigation concerning a recent emergency landing incident involving an aircraft belonging to the airline.
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In a statement issued by Michael Achimugu, the director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, the authority said it had initiated the development of organisational risk profiles for each scheduled operator, including Max Air, and that the process is nearing completion.
“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for a period of three months with effect from midnight, 31st January 2025, to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management,” the statement said.
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Earlier on Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the management of Max Air officially confirmed that one of its aircraft, with registration marks 5N-MBD, crash-landed at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport late Tuesday night.
This incident occurred at about 10:57 p.m. after the aircraft arriving from Lagos lost its nose landing gear tyre during the landing process.
Although no fatalities were reported, it is the second time within a month that an aircraft belonging to Max Air will be experiencing an emergency landing in the country, prompting authorities on several occasions to warn the airline management to take necessary action before it can resume operations.
On Wednesday, the NCAA said that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has statutorily initiated an investigation into the occurrence and added that it will provide the required support to the NSIB in this regard.
The authority said the specific cause of the aircraft mishap could only be established after the NSIB had conducted its investigation.
“Safety audits”
According to the NCAA, during the three-month suspension period, the agency will conduct a thorough safety and economic audit of Max Air.
It said the safety audit will entail a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of the airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations.
READ ALSO: Max Air speaks on crash-landing incident in Kano
“The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flight operations will be predicated on the satisfactory completion of this audit,” the statement said.
The NCAA said it is aware of the inconvenience the action may cause intending passengers of Max Air but noted that the safety and well-being of passengers is paramount.
“Thus, the NCAA appeals for patience and understanding while it ensures the protection of passenger rights,” the statement said.
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