Nigeria CAA Affirms Arik Air’s Safety Strength

…No Airline Can Fly Without Adequate Insurance Cover

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed the safety clean bill of health of the largest airline operator in West Africa, Arik Air. This is due to unsubstantiated information making rounds that the airline does not have adequate spares for its aircraft.

In a statement by NCAA through its General Manager Public Relations, Sam Adurogboye: “The Authority (NCAA) only recently carried out a safety audit on Arik Air and there were no issue of safety concern found. Such reports should therefore be discountenanced.”

NCAA has warned all industry stakeholders to avoid anti-competitive practices in the aviation sector.

The Regulatory Authority is expressing concern over recent cases of disinformation prevalent in the industry.

Adurogboye mentioned that, “It is unfathomable that some questionable sources have been posting and circulating some cruelly fictitious stories about some airlines – insinuating a crash or claiming a particular carrier does not possess aircraft spares to sustain a safe operation using the online platform.”

“All those involved in this nefarious activity should promptly desist from this course of action as the consequences is seriously detrimental to the industry, particularly the confidence of the passengers.”

He said that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is well aware of the high volume of passenger movement within the country and from the diaspora during the yuletide season.

Also, that NCAA’s Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) “have therefore embarked on increased surveillance on Airline operations in addition to our daily Ramp inspection diligently carried out so as not to leave room for anyone to cut corners.”

On the issue of insurance, He said “it is inconceivable for any carrier/flight crew to carry out any flight operation (private or commercial) without valid or all requisite safety certificates.”

Adurogboye said, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs), 18.11.2 stipulates that, “ No person shall operate any aircraft in public air transport category without adequate and valid insurance.”

"On this strength, the Authority will continue to statutorily provide robust regulation for safe and secure airline operations. The Authority hereby appeal to the passengers to show understanding and not take laws into their hands when it becomes inevitable that flight has to be delayed or cancelled on account of unfavourable weather conditions or any other operational issues such as unavailability of fuel whenever it arises."

He concluded that, “Our Consumer Protection Directorate has been strengthened to enforce the Passengers Bill of Rights as it relates to passengers and the airlines.”