NCAA Suspends Private Jet Operators Over Permit Abuse  

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Tuesday, suspended the licences of three private jet operators over abuse of their permits.

LEADERSHIP reports that the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had in 2023 ordered the cessation of permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF), against engaging in the carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for hire and reward.

Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA warned holders of the permit of PNCF against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo or mail for hire and reward.

However, in a press statement signed by the acting director general, NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, and a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP on Tuesday, said to further sanitise the general aviation sector, he directed re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried out on or before April 19, 2024, to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.

According to him, all PNCF holders will be required to submit relevant documents to the Authority in the next 72 hours.

“The Authority has deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria. As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

“In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators. To further sanitize the general aviation sector, I have directed that’s a re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024 to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.

“All PNCF holder will be required to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours. This riot act is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilize aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations,” NCAA stated.

Najomo, however, reiterated that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorised to be used in the provision of such charter services.

“It must be emphasized that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized to be used in the provision of such charter services. Any of those AOC holders who wish to use the aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it into the AOC operations specification.

“NCAA wishes to reiterate to the travelling public not to patronize any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA, when they wish to procure charter operations services.

“Finally, NCAA encourages the legitimate players in the aviation industry to report the activity of such unscrupulous elements to the authority promptly for necessary action,” it added.