NCAA mandates aircrafts in Nigeria airspace must undergo specified maintenance

Chinazor Megbolu |

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that aircrafts operating in Nigeria airspace must undergo specified maintenance.

This was disclosed by the General Manager, Public Relations, Mr. Samuel Adurogboye to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, saying that the aircrafts must undergo a rigorous specified maintenance.

He noted that maintenance and checks were categorised into A, B, C, and D, stressing that, A is the least and D is the most comprehensive type of maintenance.

“Carrying out checks is predicated on having flown or operated the said aircraft for a certain number of hours or cycles.

“It is the Authority’s mandate to ensure that the specified checks are carried out as and when due.

“No compromise and no waiver is granted,’’ he said.

Adurogboye further explained that the number of aircraft operating in the nation’s airspace is not readily available.

According to him; “aircraft don’t fold up, it is an airline that can be said to have folded up.

“Airline business or any business for that matter, is a free entry and free exit.

“It is an established fact that aviation is the most regulated business anywhere in the world for the reason of safety’’.

While pointing out that combining passengers was purely a business decision taken by the affected airlines, he added that the need to be able to operate a flight, recover the cost of operations and make a profit might be responsible or may be prompted by technical issues.

“This is why airlines, all over the world, form alliances. We have the examples of one world and star alliance among others.

“This enables the airlines to put their passengers in another so as to be able to continue their journey unhindered and still retain their ticket.

“This is done in event of an unforeseen technical issue or low load factor.

“In all of these, passengers must be carried along and understanding sought,’’ he said.