NCAA issues new flight certificates to Dana Air, Skyjet

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Wednesday in Lagos issued new Airline’s Operators Certificates (AOC) to embattled airline, Dana Air, and the Kaduna-based Skyjet Aviation.
Dr Harold Demuren, Director-General , NCAA, issued the certificates to the airlines at the NCAA annex, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

Demuren, however, warned Dana Air Management not to commence flight operations until it had paid 100 per cent compensation to those families who had processed and submitted their letters of administration to it for the air crash that led to the suspension of its operations.
The AOC guarantees the airlines to commence flight operations.
Demuren said: “I am aware that five families of the victims of the June 3 Dana crash that happened in Iju-Isaga, a suburb of Lagos, that killed over 150 persons on board and on ground had submitted their letters of administrations to your office.
“This is according to the airline’s international insurer’s request and the families got the letters from the probate registry of an Abuja high court.
“Pay those ones their remaining 70,000 US dollars to make up the 100,000 dollars they are entitled to and then you can resume flight operations.
“After that, you can start your flight operations while payment for other victims’ families should be an ongoing one.”
Demuren said that this would demonstrate to the passengers and the pubic that the both NCAA and the airlines are concerned about consumers’ protection.
He added: “The responsibility of NCAA is to ensure that airlines comply with safety and protection of airlines and the consumers.
“Dana Airline has complied with safety ahead of the re-certification leading to the issuance of new AOC to it by flying 50 hours without passengers on board.
“But It has not fully complied with the consumers protection as stipulated by the NCAA by not paying full compensations to the victims families.”
The DG also said that the airline should install the Automated Flight Information Reporting Systems (AFIRS) on all their aircraft before it resumes flight operations.
It is the new flight device that would alert NCAA corporate headquarters if an airline has any challenge, he explained.
Demuren commended the airline for passing the various phases leading to the re-certification of its aircraft after they were grounded.
He urged the airline’s management to ensure strict compliance with safety and protection of their aircraft when it resumes operations.
Jackie Hathiramani, the Managing Director of Dana Airline, assured the NCAA management that the airline would comply with its regulations.
Hathiramani, speaking on the full payment of compensation to five of the victims’ families,said that the company hopes to fulfill that obligation before the end of this month.
He said: “We have returned the letters of administrations from the five families to the probate registry of the Abuja High Court for verifications and the airline would pay the 70 per cent (70,000 US dollars) to each of them before the end of the month.
“The process of fast tracking the verifications lies with the probate registry and Dana Management is awaiting the release of the letters to it.”
Also speaking, Alhaj Kashim Bukar-Shettima, Chairman of the Kaduna-based Skyjet Aviation, commended the NCAA for issuing the AOC to his airline and assured the regulatory authority of full compliance with its regulations to ensure safety of passengers and aircraft.
Bukar-Shettima urged the Federal Government to implement its zero tariff policy on commercial aircraft and spare parts importation as promised by President Goodluck Jonathan during his 2013 budget presentation.
That, he said, would reduce the heavy taxes local and foreign investors pay on aircraft and spare parts importation.
Bukar-Shettima said that his company is involved in charter operations, management and maintenance of aircraft at its Kaduna base hangar.