In a swift response to United Nigeria Airlines diverting its Lagos-Abuja flight to Asaba on Sunday, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken decisive action, suspending all foreign lease aircraft operated by the airline.
Passengers were left perplexed as a United Airlines plane touched down at Asaba International Airport instead of the scheduled destination, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA).
Reports emerged stating that the suspension encompasses all wet lease aircraft under United Nigeria Airlines. Benedict Adeyileka, a former Director General of the NCAA, confirmed this development in an exclusive interview with one of our sources from the Daily Post on Monday.
He highlighted that the current Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu, has the authority to suspend United Airlines pending a thorough investigation into the incident.
Adeyileka expressed strong disapproval of United Airlines’ actions, deeming them unprofessional and warranting a comprehensive investigation.
He clarified, “I just confirmed that their sub-Part G of their AOC is suspended. This means all their foreign registered aircraft are on subpart G.”
He further explained that during a flight from Lagos to Abuja, the Captain is expected to announce any diversion, but in this case, such communication was reportedly absent. The suspension of the airline’s operation underlines the seriousness of the matter and emphasises the need for a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the flight diversion.
