Senate proposes four-aircraft policy for domestic operators to NCAA

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, has proposed a four-aircraft policy to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) in order to stop flight disruption and boost the performance of domestic airlines.

Sen. Buhari bemoaned the underperformance of domestic airlines, describing the current rate at which carriers disrupt flights as worrisome.

The law maker making this proposal while speaking at the South-West Regional Air Transportation Summit, SWATS, 2024 organised by the NCAA with the theme: ‘Repositioning the Nigerian Aviation Industry for Financial Capability and Economic Viability’ in Lagos.

He highlighted that the NCAA should give airlines with less than four aircraft specific routes to which they should operate and urged Nigerians to imbibe the attitude of suing operators for flight disruptions.

Sen. Buhari stated further, “If airline owners have only two aircraft and can go to just two destinations, please concentrate on those routes and be professional about it. I remember that when Overland started with one small aircraft, we were only seven passengers. At the time, they were doing Abuja to Ilorin, Abuja to Ibadan and Ibadan to Lagos. They did well.

“Now, some airlines want to go to Kano, Kaduna with only three aircraft, it is impossible. This is where the agency comes in. Do your job the way it should be done so Nigerians will be happy. Nigerians do not want to see that the global rating has increased to 70.5. What they want to see is performance in domestic operations. The only way it can be done is when they are properly regulated.

“Nigerians have what is called thick skin. Because no one wants to offend the airlines, we take whatever they throw at us. Up till this time, I have not seen a single person that has taken an airline to court even if he or she won’t win.”