In a recent development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against three private jet owners for violating aviation regulations.
Beyond Boders gathered that these operators were found to be using their jets for commercial flights, which goes against the rules outlined in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
This issue first gained attention in 2023 when Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, directed that private jet owners should not use their aircraft for commercial purposes.
Following this directive, the NCAA issued a warning in March 2024, advising holders of the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) against engaging in commercial activities such as carrying passengers or cargo for hire.
To ensure compliance, the NCAA deployed officials to monitor activities at airports across Nigeria. As a result of this monitoring, three operators were found to be in violation of the regulations.
In response, Captain Chris Najome, the Director-General of the NCAA, announced the suspension of the PNCF for these operators.
He emphasized the authority’s zero-tolerance policy for such violations and directed a re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements by April 19, 2024.
To this effect, PNCF holders have been instructed to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.
Najome reiterated the seriousness of the situation, stating, “It is important to emphasize that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized for use in providing such charter services. Any AOC holder wishing to use aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it in the AOC operations specification.”
Additionally, the directive applies to Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who use aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.
These operators must seek approval from the NCAA to use the aircraft for charter services.
The NCAA also reminded the public to only patronize charter airline operators with valid Air Operator’s Certificates issued by the authority. They encouraged legitimate players in the industry to report any suspicious activities for necessary action.
