The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the permit of three private jet operators for engaging in commercial flights.
The Acting Director General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, announced the suspension of the three private operators in a riot act read to all airlines on Tuesday.
He did not, however, reveal the identities of the affected operators.
The NCAA boss said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, gave marching order for the cessation of the use of private jets for commercial purposes in 2023 but the operators continued.
“Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo or mail for hire and reward,” Najomo stated.
“The Authority has also 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.”
The regulator also directed that the re-evaluation of all non-commercial flight permit holders be carried out on or before the April 19, 2024.
“All PNCF holders 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 utilise aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.”
The regulator stressed that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC were authorised 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.”
The NCAA urged the traveling public not to patronise any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA.