Max Air has announced the suspension of its domestic flight services for a period of three months starting from January 31, 2025. This move follows an incident involving one of the airline’s aircraft, a B734 with the registration number 5N-MBD, which occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
Sources indicate that this particular aircraft had previously been involved in another serious event in 2024, which saw the plane making an emergency landing in Maiduguri while carrying the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, and other government officials. Reports suggest that during this flight, the aircraft experienced technical difficulties that forced the crew to perform an emergency landing at Maiduguri International Airport.
In light of these incidents, calls for an urgent review of the airline’s safety practices have been growing. A source familiar with the matter noted: “During that flight, the aircraft suffered other technical issues forcing an emergency landing at the Maiduguri International Airport. We therefore call on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to launch an urgent investigation into the safety standards of Max Air and its fleet.”
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has responded by initiating a comprehensive safety and economic audit of Max Air. According to Michael Achimugu, the Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, the audit will take place during the three-month operational suspension. This safety audit will involve a detailed re-inspection of the airline’s organization, personnel, procedures, and aircraft.
Achimugu added that the airline’s return to flight operations will depend on the outcome of the audit. “It is instructive to note that the NCAA had commenced organizational risk profiles for each scheduled operator, including Max Air, which is nearing its conclusion,” he said in a statement. “However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for a period of three months with effect from midnight, January 31, 2025, to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management.”
The NCAA’s safety inspection will follow the guidelines set forth in Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. In addition to assessing the airline’s operational safety, the economic audit will focus on Max Air’s financial status to ensure the company is financially capable of sustaining safe flight operations in the long term.
