NCAA suspends Discovery Airline’s operations

Acting Director-General, NCAA, Mr. Benedict Adeyileka

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.