NCAA suspends Dana Air’s operations indefinitely on financial, safety grounds
By ADAKU WALTER
- As Airline appeals to passengers, express confidence of return
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Airlines indefinitely with effect from Wednesday, July 20, 2022.
NCAA explained that the suspension was made pursuant to Section 35(2), 3(b) and (4) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and Part 1.3.3.3(a)(1) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015.
The suspension order, which was delivered on the orders of the Director General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, has since been communicated to the management of Dana Airlines.
Recall that Dana Air, on June 29, 2022, had announced the introduction of additional flights on its Lagos and Abuja route network, in what could be described as a good development at the time.
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The airline revealed that the move was based on popular demand, the desire to meet the growing demand, and the need to follow through with its strategic route expansion.
Latest events have, however, proved otherwise, following the suspension of the airline by the NCAA on financial and safety grounds.
“The decision is the outcome of a financial and economic health audit carried out on the Airline by the Authority, and the findings of an investigation conducted on the Airline’s flight operations recently, which revealed that Dana Airlines is no longer in a position to meet its financial obligations and to conduct safe flight operations.
“The NCAA acknowledges the negative effect this preemptive decision will have on the Airline’s passengers and members of the travelling public and seeks their understanding, as the safety of flight operations takes priority over other considerations,” the suspension order reads.
When contacted, Communications Manager of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, said on telephone that the stoppage of catering services would not be for long, and was not due to any financial difficulty.
On the airline’s financial situation, Ezenwa stressed that Dana remains one of the strongest in the country, adding that the recent increase in frequency, sponsorships and partnerships are pointers to the fact that it is doing well financially.
Confirming the development, management of Dana said the decision was reached to undergo full operational audit and blamed the situation on increasing cost of Jet A1, which now sells at 830 per litre in some airports, unavailability of forex and inflation as contributory factors.
“Our operations have been suspended as advised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to enable us to undergo full operational audit with effect from July 20, 2022,” it added.
