NG Eagle, a new airline based in Lagos, Nigeria, has recently started its commercial flight operations. The airline began its services on December 10, utilizing an A320-200 aircraft that was wet-leased from Heston Airlines, based in Vilnius.
Flight Operations
The aircraft with registration LY-WSM (msn 2531) has been operating flights between Abuja and Lagos, as well as other destinations such as Sokoto, Yola, Port Harcourt Awolowo, Benin City, and Kano. The airline's booking portal already lists these destinations for travelers to book their flights. Another aircraft, LY-FJI (msn 2157), arrived in West Africa last month but has since been flown to Shannon.
Company Background
NG Eagle was established in 2019 by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a government agency dedicated to debt recovery. The airline was formed to succeed Arik Air, which is currently under administration. Arik Air's viable assets, including three Boeing aircraft (two B737-700s and one B737-800), were transferred to NG Eagle's parent company, Super Bravo Limited.
Ownership Dispute
In March of this year, a Lagos court ordered the return of the Boeing twinjets to Arik Air following a lawsuit. However, due to NG Eagle's prolonged certification process, Super Bravo had planned to place the aircraft with another AMCON-administered carrier, Aero Contractors. NG Eagle's certification drive was put on hold until a change in ownership took place through Nigerian aviation services firm Galactic Aviation.
Compliance with Regulations
Despite starting its operations with wet-leased aircraft, NG Eagle maintains that it is compliant with Nigerian law. The airline obtained its air operator's certificate (AOC) using the three Boeing B737s it acquired from Arik Air. NG Eagle's maintenance manager, Roland Ahmed, explained that the leased Airbus A320 aircraft are in addition to the existing Boeing fleet, which is currently undergoing maintenance.
Domestic Passenger Market
Nigeria's scheduled domestic passenger market now consists of several airlines, including Arik Air, Aero Contractors, MaxAir (Nigeria), ValueJet, Air Peace, Ibom Air, Overland Airways, Rano Air, Dana Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Green Africa Airways, and Azman Air (which is currently dormant).
NG Eagle's entry into the Nigerian aviation market brings more options for travelers and contributes to the growth of the country's domestic air travel industry.
Future Plans
With its fleet expansion plans and commitment to compliance with regulations, NG Eagle aims to establish itself as a reliable and customer-focused airline in Nigeria.
As the airline continues to expand its operations and fleet, passengers can look forward to increased connectivity and convenience when traveling within Nigeria.
Summary
NG Eagle's entry into the market is a positive development for both the airline industry and passengers alike.
(This article is sourced from ch-aviation.com and curated by Thetransporteronline24)
