Chinedu Eze
In a bid to meet the growing demand of other indigenous airlines on aircraft repairs and maintenance, Nigeria’s oldest carrier, Aero Contractors has started expanding its maintenance facility in order to be able to take in more aircraft.
The airline has also announced that it would resume flight operations on December 5, with six aircraft to service 10 destinations as it plans regional service, later next year.
The airline made this known during a press conference to announce resumption of its scheduled passenger flight operations.
The new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, said the airline would operate using Boeing 737 and Dash 8 (Q-400) and would service Warri, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Benin, Yola, Sokoto, Kano, Asaba and Calabar.
Sanusi said the airline’s aircraft maintenance facility would cater for other aircraft types such Embraer 145 and train personnel for maintenance of Airbus aircraft types.
The airline which suspended scheduled services on July 20, over financial difficulties has been given approval by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) to commence operations, having satisfied all regulatory requirements.
Sanusi disclosed that the airline has three business units, namely – the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO), the fixed and rotary wing airline operation and the training unit.
He said these services would help strengthen the airline arm of the business and mitigate the airline’s operational costs.
He acknowledged the challenges facing the airline business, some of which included foreign exchange rates and scarcity, increase in aviation fuel price and multiple taxations.
According to him, if the government was able to address these multiple taxations, then airlines would have better chances of surviving in Nigeria.
Sanusi disclosed that in the last quarter of year 2023, the airline would commence regional flight operations.
He however assured that the airline has come to stay and would be competing with other airlines with affordable prices.
“We are pleased and delighted to return to services after a few months. We are determined to offer great travel experience to our customers during this season and beyond. We look forward to welcoming them on board,” Sanusi said.
