Aircraft used for unveiling of Nigeria Air was chartered from Ethiopia, says MD

Aircraft used for unveiling of Nigeria Air was chartered from Ethiopia, says MD

 Dapo Olumide, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nigeria Air,
says the aircraft used for the unveiling of the national carrier was a
chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines.

 

Speaking when he appeared before a house of representatives
committee on aviation on Tuesday, Olumide said the aircraft was returned to
Ethiopia about two days after the unveiling.

 

“It was a chartered flight,” he said.

 

His remark was a reaction to comments from members of the
committee who said the aircraft bore the colours of the Nigerian flag.

 

Responding, Olumide said: “As a chartered flight, you can
paint the aircraft in any colours you want”.

 

“On a chartered flight, the aircraft was to come to Nigeria
to Abuja and go back 48 hours later.”

 

Olumide also said the necessary procedures for the
establishment of a national carrier were not completed before the unveiling.

 

 “We have a five-phase
process to go through with the regulator. After the five phases, you can get
the AOC certificate. Until then, you do not have an airline. So we are in the
five-phase process of getting the airline,” he said.

 

“We are in stage one. We left stage one but we replaced all
the key management of the airline. We replaced all of them. When you replace
them, you have to go back to phase one. That is the requirement.

 

“We have not gotten to phase two yet. We are going to go
into phase two but to go into phase two, there are certain documents you must
attach to your request. One of which is called the schedule of events. There
are other technical documents. We are in the process of putting these
together.”

 

Also speaking, Mohammed Oduwowo, managing director of
Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), corroborated Olumide’s position.

 

 “We had an approval.
We granted the aircraft a flight permit. It was meant to be a chartered flight
from Ethiopia to Nigeria. It was a chartered flight. It went back the following
day,” he said.

 

Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation, unveiled Nigeria
Air — the national carrier — about three days before the end of former
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration

Source: Aircraft used for unveiling of Nigeria Air was chartered from Ethiopia, says MD

 - NigerianEye
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