Coup: Max Air’s trapped aircraft granted permission to leave Niger

MaxAir says its Boeing 747-400 aircraft with registration 5N-ADM has been granted permission to leave Niger.

The airline’s management, in a statement on Thursday night, said the aircraft proceeded to Jeddah to carry the remaining Nigerian pilgrims.

The development came hours after TheCable reported that the aircraft was trapped in Niamey due to the ongoing military coup in Niger.

“We express our utmost gratitude to the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the director-general of the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), the ministry of foreign affairs, and all the various agencies and individuals who assisted in promptly securing the release of our aircraft,” the statement reads.

“MaxAir Limited remains committed to providing reliable and secure air travel services for all our passengers.

“As always, we will continue to uphold the highest safety standards and operational excellence in every aspect of our services.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Nigerien authorities and all those who assisted in resolving this situation. 

“Their dedication to aviation safety and their commitment to ensuring a smooth and efficient resolution of the issue is deeply appreciated.”