Again, NCAA threatens to sanction private jet owners operating commercial services

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has once again threatened to revoke the operating licences of private jet owners engaging in commercial flight operations.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s director of public affairs and consumer protection, spoke in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Achimugu, owners of permit for non-commercial flight (PNCF) are prohibited from using their aircraft for transporting passengers, cargo, or mail for payment or compensation.

“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wishes to warn holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) (private jet owners) to desist from engaging in commercial flight operations forthwith or face stiff penalties,” he said.

“It will be noted that holders of PNCF are not permitted to use their aircraft for carriage of passengers cargo or mail for hire or reward (commercial operations or charter services).

“In line with Section 32 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the NCAA will not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations with suspension, withdrawal or revocation of their Permit for Non-Commercial flight.

“The public is hereby notified that it is illegal to engage PNCF holders for commercial purposes. NCAA  officials have also been deployed to General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and private wings of the airports to monitor activities of the PNCF holders.

“The NCAA wishes to restate its zero tolerance for violations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 and shall continue to enforce strict compliance through the application of appropriate sanctions.”

On January 19, 2023, Chris Najomo, acting director-general of NCAA, had declared that the authority would clamp down on all private jets operating as charter operators in the country.

The development came two months after a private jet that departed the federal capital territory (FCT) in November 2023, crash-landed just before it landed at the airport in Ibadan, Oyo state. 

The National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had indicted the operator, saying Flints Aero Services Limited was issued a PNCF licence.