NCAA suspends 3 private jet operators

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Tuesday, announced that it has suspended three private jet owners for carrying out commercial flight operations.

According to LEADERSHIP reports, the development was made known by the NCAA Acting Director, Chris Najomo, in a statement posted on the official X handle of the authority.

He said the use of private jets for commercial purposes prompted the Aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, to issue directives for the cessation of such acts.

Mr Najomo said the NCAA has earlier issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo.

He explained that the NCAA deployed its officials to monitor the activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria.

As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, the NCAA boss said 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.

“In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators. To further sanitise the general aviation sector, I have directed a reevaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024 to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements,” Mr Najomo said.

Going forward, Mr Najomo said all “PNCF holders must submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.”

This riot act, he said, is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilise aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.

“It must be emphasised that only aircraft listed in the operation specifications of the AOC are 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 in the AOC operations specification,” the statement said.

The NCAA urged travellers not to patronise any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA when they wish to procure charter operations services.

He disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in 2023 gave a marching order to the NCAA to clampdown on the use of private jets for commercial purposes.

In similar development, NCAA asked passengers to desist from the improper carriage of dangerous goods onboard aircraft because it poses a significant risk to flight safety.

“The Nigeria Civil Aviation (NCAA) regulation has prohibited passengers from the improper carriage of dangerous goods by passengers because it poses a significant risk to flight safety,” the statement said.

Some of the items listed that are not permitted onboard the aircraft include Bleach, flammables, oxidizers, corrosives, incapacitating sprays, ignitable gas devices and compressed gas among others.

However, the NCAA noted that passengers are permitted to carry other goods but are subject to quantity limits to ensure an acceptable level of safety.

This includes cigarettes lighter, matches ( on your person only), while power banks, spare batteries and e-cigarettes are permitted in hand luggage only.

“The Authority also mandates that airport operators, airlines, and ground handling agents must ensure that information on forbidden and permissible dangerous goods is communicated effectively to passengers,” the statement said.

It said passengers can also access information on banned items at the airports, particularly where tickets are issued, where boarding passes are obtained, boarding areas, drop-off areas, and/or checked baggage areas.

“The NCAA also requires that the information must include visual examples of dangerous goods forbidden aboard an aircraft,” the statement said.