Stories by Chinedu Eze
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued the United Nigeria Airlines an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) with number UNA/AOC/01-21/961, after meeting the requirements as stated in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The AOC would be valid till January 31, 2023, when it would be expected the airline would renew it. With this, the new indigenous carrier is set to commence operations.
The airline is one of the few airlines on the line to secure AOC after the regulatory authority has adjudged them worthy and after meeting the stringent criteria, which include demonstration flights for several hours.
AOC is a document issued by NCAA to show approval for an airline to commence flight services in Nigeria.
United Nigeria Airlines has earlier indicated that it would make Enugu its operational hub.
The document which was issued February 1, 2021 and signed by the Director General NCAA read,” This certificate certifies that United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited has been approved to perform commercial air operations, as defined in the attached operations.”
In January, United Nigeria Airlines carried out demonstration flights to show readiness to operate from Lagos to Enugu, Owerri and some other airports with its Embraer E145s.
The new airline has also indicated that it would operate domestic flights from Enugu-Abuja-Enugu, Owerri-Abuja-Owerri, Enugu-Lagos-Enugu, Owerri-Lagos-Owerri, Abuja-Asaba-Abuja, Port Harcourt-Lagos-Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt-Abuja-Port Harcourt.
Despite the devastation of COVID-19 and subsequent gloomy air travel market, some entrepreneurs are still investing in airline business, looking at the future.
Industry observers while congratulating the airline, pointed out that the air travel market is tepid and therefore needs good strategy and resilience to survive.
