After Asaba Incident, NCAA Suspends United Nigeria Airlines’ Wet Lease Planes

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Monday, suspended all wet-leased aircraft under the United Nigeria Airlines (UNA).

This suspension is coming after a aircraft belonging to the UNA landed passengers at the Asaba International Airport on Sunday rather than their destination, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

However, a source in the NCAA informed LEADERSHIP that all wet-leased aircraft in the fleet of the airline have been suspended.

A wet-leased is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or other type of business acting as a broker of air travel (the lessee), which pays by hours operated.

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However, according to the source, the letter is expected to be picked up by members of staff of United Airline.

The source stated further that all the wet-leased aircraft in the operations of the airline would remain suspended pending the outcome of an investigation on the Sunday incident, that involved one of the wet-leased aircraft in the fleet of the airline.

“NCAA has suspended all the wet lease aircraft in the operations of United Nigeria Airlines. The excuse they provided to us that the diversion to Asaba was due to poor weather in Abuja was not acceptable to us. So, we have to take the big step by suspending all the aircraft that are wet leased in their fleet.

“The aircraft will remain suspended until after investigation. We can’t allow this to happen. The fact is that their crews are foreigners and they are not familiar with Nigeria, which the airline ought to have done. So, we are suspending them until after the investigation.”

However, in a press statement by the NCAA signed by the director general, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, said the authority has commenced investigation into the incident.

The statement made available to LEADERSHIP read, “NCAA have commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding United Nigeria flight NUA 0506 to Asaba and the confusion it has created in the public domain.

“However, preliminary steps have been taken pending conclusions of ongoing investigation. The Authority wishes to reassure the traveling public that it will leave no stone unturned as it has always done in the past to ensure continued safety of the aviation industry.”