Discovery Air (Lagos) has suspended operations after the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revoked its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) on Tuesday, January 13.
The NCAA's Deputy General Manager of Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye, told the Nigerian press in Lagos that the carrier had failed to rectify several issues pointed out during a recent inspection.
"...an Airline that failed to carry out certain corrective actions within one week from the 1st to 7th of January, 2015 as raised in an earlier letter to the operator," an NCAA statement read. "The Authority pursuant to Section 35[2] and [3][b] of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 and Part 1.1.3.3.3[a] [1] of the Nig. CARs 2009, hereby suspends the Air Operator's Certificate [AOC] of Discovery Airways Limited.'"
The airline, however, has denied the suspension was safety-related claiming instead the ban pertained to cancelled and delayed flights during the Christmas holidays.
"We are complying already with regulations. We have started having meetings with the over 100 passengers and their lawyers that were affected during the flight disruption between December 24, 2014 and December 26, 2014," Discovery Air chairman, Babatunde Babalola, said in response.
The NCAA says the carrier may only resume operations once a comprehensive review of its operations has been undertaken.
Launched in June last year, the carrier had offered scheduled services between Abuja and Lagos using a pair of B737-300s.
