NCAA Suspends Three Private Jet Operators In Nigeria

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that three private jet operators’ permits have been suspended due to alleged commercial flight activity.

The Acting Director General of (NCAA), Chris Najomo, made the announcement on Tuesday in a riot act read to all airlines today.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, issued a directive in 2023 to cease the utilization of private jets for commercial purposes, as stated by the NCAA boss.

However, despite this order, the operators, according to him, persisted in engaging in such activities.

“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.

He added: “The Authority had 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 regulatory body has also mandated that a reassessment of all non-commercial flight permit holders must be completed by April 19, 2024.

It said: “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 AOC’s Operation Specifications were authorised to provide 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 noted, urging the travelling public not to patronise any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA.

Below is the video clip showing the moment Najomo read the riot act.

Ag. DGCA reads riot act, orders re-evaluation of all PNCF permits within 72 hours. pic.twitter.com/DyHbxQXHJZ

— NigeriaCAA (@NigeriaCAA) April 16, 2024

Naija News recalls that on January 24, 2024, the NCAA issued a warning that private jet owners who operate commercial services without proper compliance may have their licenses revoked.

Najomo announced this during the presentation of his agency’s projects for 2024 in Lagos.

The announcement was coming shortly after a private jet departing from the Federal Capital Territory crash-landed near the Ibadan airport.

Reacting to the development, the National Safety Investigation Bureau criticized the operator, Flints Aero Services Limited, for conducting a non-commercial flight with a permit.

The NCAA DG stressed the importance of private jet operators obtaining a commercial license for commercial or charter operations.

Najomo highlighted the regulatory framework, stating that only holders of an Air Transport License and airline operating permit with a valid air operator certificate are authorized to conduct charter operations.