The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has said the immediate suspension of Marx Air’s domestic flight by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will not in any way affect the airline’s airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia back home.
The Commission’s Deputy Director of Information and Publication, Mal. Mousa Ubandanwaki, stated this on Tuesday, in swift reaction to the indefinite suspension of Marx Air Boeing B737 aircraft domestic carrier.
The NCAA via a letter NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363 has directed the suspension of Parts A3 and D43 with regards to the operation of Max Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft type with immediate effect.
Mal. Ubandanwaki said in a statement that the suspension does not have any implication on the airline’s operation in returning Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.
According to him, “Consequent upon the indefinite suspension of Max Air domestic operations by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), it is imperative to clarify that the suspension does not and won’t affect the ongoing Hajj airlift operation in Saudi Arabia.
“The clarification became necessary to assuage and calm the pilgrims and relatives back at home that the suspension order is limited to their domestic air services which does not affect their charter and international operations.
“This is because the clamp down was on the Airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft which has been the crux of the NCAA audit query for some time. The aircraft being used for airlift of Nigerian Pilgrims is not the same as the one on their domestic route.
“Therefore, the Commission wishes to assure all Nigerians and the pilgrims in particular, that the ongoing airlift of Nigerian pilgrims will continue undisturbed and that the Airline will continue to utilize the slots allocated to it by the Saudi General Authority in Civil Aviation (GACA) unhindered.
“We want to thank all Nigerians and pilgrims for their patience and perseverance and to assure of the Commission’s commitment to airlift all Nigerian pilgrims to Nigeria in record time,” he added.
Max Air is one of the four local airlines approved by NAHCON for the airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims for the Hajj 2023, with 16,326 allocations.
He said, “The suspension has no implication. The airlift is both a chartered and an international operation. The aircraft being used for airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims is not the same as the one on their domestic route.
At the time of filing this report on Thursday, July 13, no fewer than 17,266 pilgrims have been airlifted to Nigeria with 44 flights as the airlifting operations continue.
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