Domestic carriers are ramping up efforts to meet the new checklist rolled out by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for resumption of flights.
NCAA on Wednesday reaffirmed the June 21 date approved by the Federal Government for five airports in the country to be reopened for aviation businesses as part of the second phase of the eased of COVID-19 lockdown.
NCAA checklist which is contained in a circular titled” “Post-COVID -19 Guidelines for Domestic Carriers”, requires the airlines to service and disinfect their aircraft, train their crew and other technical personnel before June 21.
Investigations by The Nation revealed that Aero Contractors of Nigeria, Air Peace, DANA Air, Arik Air, Overland Airways, Max Air and AZMAN Air are reworking their operation manuals to comply with the guidelines.
Investigations also revealed that the engineer units of other carriers are rushing to complete checks on their airplanes.
Besides compliance with airworthiness checklist, most of the airlines are trying to meet the health protocols rolled out by the NCAA.
Managing Director of Aero Contractors Ado Sanusi said the oldest indigenous carrier was ready to be airborne at the scheduled time.
Sanusi said: “We have some protocols that need to be done but in every contest we (Aero) are ready to start anytime from now and I believe most of the airlines too have gone far in all the protocols the NCAA wants us to do.
“Most of them are trainings and some kind of manuals that we need to do and some also are the acquisition of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the crew. Some are reviewing the procedures that we need to follow during check in and disembarking.”
He added that from June 5, 2020, the Ministry of the Environment will be at the airports to disinfect the airplanes
Sanusi however said disinfecting the inside of any aircraft must be in compliance with the recommendations of the manufacturer.
“We must look at what they will use to disinfect the planes because it must be in conformation with what the manufacturers say we can use to disinfect inside the airplane,” he explained.
Spokespersons for Arik Air, Mr Adebanji Ola, Air Peace, Stanley Olisa and Kingsley Ezenwa of DANA Air, said the carriers were technically ready for flight operations as they were working round the clock to meet all regulatory requirements and other protocols necessary for resumption.
Ola said: “We are fully ready as an airline and adequately complying with the prescribed guidelines. We have prepared our flight crew and aircraft for the scheduled date. I can confirm to you that Arik Air is technically ready.”
“Air Peace is technically ready. We have beefed up efforts to get our flying crew ready. Our ground operations unit and relevant department are set for the scheduled date. We hope the June 21, 2020 date for airports re-opening is definite.” Olisa said.
Ezenwa on his part said DANA Air was 100 per cent ready for flight resumption.
General Manager, Public Affairs of the NCAA Sam Adurogboye told The Nation on Wednesday that the regulatory body had been working with the airlines to meet the checklist before the June 21 reopening date.
According to him, airlines that failed to meet the directives as contained in the checklist would not be allowed to resume operations.
He said: “There is a checklist. You must show that you have maintained your aircraft; your personnel must undergo the required training and meet the given protocols to ensure that passengers are protected onboard your flight.
“This has been an ongoing process before the date of resumption was announced and some of the airlines have met these conditions. One of the airlines is already operating special services. It means they have met the condition to operate.
“Based on the checklist, we are looking at how airlines maintain and disinfect their aircraft as well as airports getting disinfected.”