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Max Air has announced a 90-day suspension of its domestic flight operations, effective midnight on January 31, 2025.
The decision follows a near-fatal incident involving a Max Air B734 aircraft at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, prompting the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to initiate a comprehensive safety and economic audit of the airline.
According to Max Air, the temporary suspension is a proactive measure to conduct an internal operational evaluation.
“The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority, and we believe this voluntary suspension will allow us to exceed industry standards and restore public confidence in our operations,” the airline stated.
The suspension comes in the wake of a serious incident on January 28, when a Max Air aircraft with registration 5N-MBD experienced a nose wheel collapse and rear tire burst during landing in Kano. Though no casualties were reported, the event has drawn scrutiny from the NCAA.
In a statement, Michael Achimugu, Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, explained that the regulatory body would conduct a detailed safety and economic audit of Max Air during the suspension period.
“The NCAA will conduct a thorough safety and economic audit on Max Air. The safety audit will entail a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of the airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations,” Achimugu said.
The NCAA emphasised that the airline’s resumption of operations would be contingent on the satisfactory completion of the audit.
“The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flight operations will be predicated on the satisfactory completion of this audit,” the NCAA added.
Max Air also assured affected passengers of full refunds or rebooking options with partner airlines.
“All affected booked passengers during the suspension period are enjoined to receive full refunds or rebooking options with partner airlines. Our customer service team will be available to assist all the affected passengers.”
The airline urged the public to monitor updates through official channels, reiterating their commitment to passenger safety and operational excellence.
Chioma Kalu
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