Since March 23 when domestic carriers suspended scheduled flights, some governors and other highly-placed individuals have hopped across the country in private jets. The abuse of flight permits to privately-owned jets deployed for charter operations has come under regulatory spotlight, writes KELVIN OSA – OKUNBOR
The operations of aircraft in Nigeria are increasingly coming under focus as the industry resets for a new beginning on July 8. Scheduled operations will be resuming after three months of suspended flights.
Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Air Peace, Dana Air, Overland Airways, AZMAN Air and Max Air have not operated scheduled flights since Coronavirus began dealing a debilitating blow on the air transport sector.
Though the Federal Government offered a window for essential flights, it was subject to securing appropriate approvals from the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Non-scheduled operators otherwise known as ‘Chartered Flight’ had a field day during the lockdown.
Checks by The Nation revealed also that there are over 100 aircraft registered in Nigeria under the privately-owned / charter category. They operated special flights during the pandemic.
A source close to the operators said their aircraft litter aprons at airports nationwide attending to the schedules of their owners and clients.
The source hinted that aircraft registered as privately owned were utilised by their managers for shuttles by politically exposed persons, including governors and business moguls.
The NCAA has a Directorate-General Aviation in charge of private/charter jets, which attends to aircraft in such operational category.
The use of charter jets in Nigeria is increasingly gaining traction following the push for fractional ownership by some operating companies such as ANAP Jets. Besides, ANAP Jets, many companies including schedules carriers engage in charter operations.
According to Fly-Nigeria .com, an online portal that coordinates booking for charter jets, such services are available for prospective clients willing to undertake charter round the clock.
Operators operating in the global and Nigerian flight market include Overland Airways, with ATR 42, ATR 72 and Beechcraft 1900 aircraft types in its fleet; Top Brass Aviation, Jedidiah Aviation and Hangar 8/ Gama Aviation.
The company said on its website: ” Looking to hire a private jet from Lagos or Abuja? Whether you’re flying locally, regionally or internationally, Fly-Nigeria.com can help you book your next private flight within minutes – 24/7, 365. Book your private jet online nowhere, or find out more about the jet charter companies operating a private jet flight from Lagos and Abuja now.
“Increasingly, Nigerian business travellers and the jet set are opting to charter their chartered aircraft instead of flying business or first class. Consequently, jet charter companies are increasingly operating private jet services from Lagos and Abuja to meet this growing market demand.”
Private terminal operators, including ExecuJets, Caverton and EverGreen Hangars, are all situated at Lagos International Airport and store a significant number of charter jets.
Apart from Nigerian operators, some foreign charter companies have fleet bases at Lagos and Abuja Airports in Nigeria.
Consequently, jet charter companies are increasingly operating services from Lagos and Abuja to meet this growing market demand. Some of them offer ad hoc jet charter services for VIP Nigerian travellers.
Executive Jets and Stargate Jets got more bookings during the pandemic. A source close to the firms revealed that the bookings were both for flights within and outside the country.
These companies offer a variety of jet used for charter including Boeing Business Jets; Bombardier Global Express; Gulf Stream V; Gulf Stream G550; Embraer Legacy 650, as well as Dassault Falcon 900 and 2000 series. Other types include Hawker 800XP; Learjet 60; Learjet 45; Embraer Legacy 600, and Bombardier Challengers 604.
Some of the world’s most popular jets used for charter purposes in the fleet of operators in Nigeria also include Gulfstream 550; Global Express / XRS; Falcon 7X; Falcon 900; Gulfstream IV; Challenger 604; Citation X; Hawker 800; Citiation Excel / XLS; the Learjet 50 and Citation Mustang.
According to aviation experts, passengers do not need to own a jet to fly one as there are a variety of jets available for hire for many reasons and not necessarily for pleasure. A jet could be chartered due to the need to save valuable time. It could be hired for an emergency, such as to airlift someone seeking medical attention.
In Nigeria, most private jet charter companies charge as much as $6,000 for one hour flight. It takes about one hour to travel between most Nigerian cities.
A source in one of the companies said: “For a relatively moderate amount, one can actually fly in a charter jet. Well, this can happen if you are part of a group charter. For instance, if an hour jet charter is $6,000, it can be split among 10 friends planning to travel to the same destination. This will leave each passenger with $600 bill.”
But, the NCAA has raised concerns over the use of private jet for charter operations. Its Director-General, Captain Musa Nuhu, said the concerns were fuelled by abuse of permits granted owners/ operators of such aircraft.
Since last week, it began grounding of private aircraft which engage in ‘hire and reward services’. The move to regularise the operations of such aircraft, it was learnt, came on the heels of the abuse of Permit for Non- Commercial Flight (PNCF) granted private aircraft under operations specification.
It was gathered that since the pandemic outbreak, there has been misuse of PNCF and improperly registered aircraft listed on Part G operations specification for illegal charters.
The NCAA, it was learnt, has introduced new measures for immediate implementation which mandates that aircraft duly registered as privately owned should not be used for commercial charter.
In a circular on June 24, addressed to the Directorate of Operations and Training (DOT), Directorate of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS) and the Directorate of Air Transport Regulations (DATR) of the NCAA, Nuhu directed them to ensure application of the new regulatory regime.
According to the circular, private aircraft, known as Operations Specification Part G, which have PNCF would, henceforth, be stopped from operating for hire and reward.
It reads: “All aircraft listed under OPS SPECS PART G (commercial wet-lease) that is either in non-compliance or in violation of any part thereof of NCAR (Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation) Part 9.2.3.4(b) shall be grounded with effect from Monday 29, June 2020.”
The NCAA has started disciplinary actions on its personnel who were privy to allowing private aircraft for charter services.
NCAA threatened to ground any private aircraft used for charter in addition to revoking the licence of anyone that disobeyed the directive.
Investigations reveal that about half of the 100 privately owned aeroplanes engage in charter services exploiting lax regulations.
Nuhu also directed that: “DATR shall provide a comprehensive list, details of all PNCF holders and all aircraft listed under their permit; all PNCF holders shall be reminded of the terms and conditions of the permit, especially the non-commercial nature. Any violation will attract penalty under Nig.CARs, including revocation.”
He added that the concerned directorates in the agency to develop procedures and guidelines to ensure all NCAA staff complied with NCARs in processing all applications and submit a single comprehensive report to him on the implementation of items mentioned above, measures taken and the reasons why these violations were allowed and not resolved in the first instance.