MaxAir (Nigeria) (VM, Katsina) has signed an agreement with fellow Nigerian carrier NG Eagle (2N, Lagos) for a two-month lease of one B737-300, the latter announced in a statement.
According to ch-aviation data, NG Eagle's only B737-300, 5N-NGA (msn 27721), accommodates 130 passengers in a two-class cabin, 122 in economy and eight in business class. The 28.1-year-old unit is owned by NG Eagle. It formerly flew with Dana Air (DAN, Lagos) and was first delivered to Southwest Airlines in 1997.
ADS-B data shows that 5N-NGA began operations under a MaxAir flight code on September 14. It serves domestic destinations including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri, Benin City, Port Harcourt Awolowo.
MaxAir operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, of which only one, the company-owned 25.8-year-old B737-300 5N-DAB (msn 30335), is in active service, according to ch-aviation and ADS-B data.
The total grounded fleet includes four B737-300s, one B737-400, one B737-500, three B747-400s, one B777-200, and one Learjet 45XR. One Legacy 600, 5N-BXK (msn 14501086), last flew on August 27 and is currently parked at Abuja.
MaxAir resumed domestic flights on March 21 after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) cleared it to fly again following a 90-day voluntary suspension.
The airline had halted operations on January 31 after a series of in-flight incidents, including a nose-wheel collapse and a tyre burst in January, and earlier technical failures in 2023, such as landing gear loss, aborted takeoffs, and fuel contamination.
The NCAA conducted a full safety and economic audit, re-inspecting MaxAir’s aircraft, personnel, and procedures, and confirmed compliance with regulations, though it will continue close monitoring. According to ch-aviation research, MaxAir has recorded 11 incidents since 2019, including three classified as serious.
NG Eagle stated that the current lease agreement underscored its commitment to optimising its fleet utilisation and offering flexible solutions to market needs. It said the collaboration with MaxAir aligned with its broader vision of fostering "a dynamic and interconnected aviation eco-system in Nigeria".
NG Eagle's fleet of five aircraft includes the one B737-300, two B737-700s (both grounded), one B737-800 (stored), and one E145, 5N-NGE (msn 145360), active on domestic routes.
