The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has announced the suspension of the operations of Discovery Airlines.
A statement by NCAA on Tuesday said that the suspension took effect from last Thursday.
According to the regulatory body, the
suspension of the activities of the airline is in pursuit of its
oversight responsibilities as stipulated by law.
The statement, signed by NCAA’s Deputy
General Manager, Public Relations, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, explained that
the suspension followed a review of the operations of some domestic
airlines, adding that Discovery had earlier been issued with a warning
letter to address some pressing issues.
He added that the airline failed to carry
out stipulated corrective actions within one week (January 1 to 7,
2015) as raised in an earlier letter to the management.
Adurogboye said, “Consequent upon the
inability to address the issues raised, the NCAA, in its January 8, 2015
letter to the operator, declared, ‘The Authority pursuant to Section
35[2] and [3][b] of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and Part 1.1.3.3.3[a]
[1] of the Nig. CARs 2009, hereby suspends the Air Operator’s
Certificate of Discovery Airways Limited’.
“The suspension takes effect from January
8, 2015, the date of the letter conveying the notice. This order will
be in force pending the outcome of a comprehensive review of the
airline’s operations to be carried out accordingly.”
The NCAA added that even though it was
not its desire to regulate any airline out of existence, it would,
however, view any violation of safety regulations seriously.
The management of Discovery Airlines was
issued an operating licence by the NCAA on June 3, 2014, which means it
has only operated for a little over six months.
Speaking during the handover of the
licence to the management of the airlines, the then Acting
Director-General, NCAA, Mr. Benedict Adeyileka, told the airline that
the regulator was comfortable with its activities so far because of the
way its officials had been conducting themselves throughout the
certification period.
He said that like the regulators, the
management of the airline seemed conscious of safety, adding that it was
essential for airlines to take this factor as key to their operations.
“The NCAA is ready to support all
airlines that keep to the necessary standards; our role is not to wipe
airlines off the map, but to support them to grow. Compliance is very
important in this business, and we want all airlines to ensure that they
adhere strictly to this,” he had stated.
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