The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, has said the Federal Government’s palliatives will only be extended to operational airlines with valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC). Nuhu who disclosed this during the gateway forum of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondent (LAAC), said the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), would not err in putting forward a defunct airline for the palliative.
“Any airline can apply, whether functioning or not but it is a policy that participating airlines must be functioning and with Air Operators Certificate. I also believe that the AON has its own set of rules and they know the criteria, I believe the AON will not put forward a non- functioning airline,” he said.
On the economic viability of Nigerian airlines, the DG explained that the COVID-19 has levelled even the strongest of carriers and most are being handed bailouts to survive across the globe. “The financial health of airlines is not limited to Nigerian airlines, it is a global issue, especially due to the impact of COVID-19. We have seen airlines that got millions of dollars in subsidy from their governments, and they still have issues. Many airlines including British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa have sacked workers and are withdrawing some aircraft. It is a global thing. But government is working on the palliative,” he said.