JUST-IN: NCAA Suspends Max Air for 3 Months After Tire Burst Incident
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced a three-month suspension of Max Air following an incident where one of its aircraft, registration number 5N-MBD, suffered a tire burst during landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
The suspension will take effect from midnight on January 31, 2025, to allow for a thorough safety and economic audit of the airline’s operations. This was disclosed by NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, on Wednesday.
According to Achimugu, the suspension is necessary for an internal review by Max Air’s management and to enable the NCAA to conduct an exhaustive audit of the airline. The safety audit will include re-inspecting the airline’s organization, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. Additionally, the economic audit will assess the financial stability of the airline to ensure it can continue to operate safely.
Max Air will only be permitted to resume domestic flight operations once the NCAA is satisfied with the completion of these audits.
“The NCAA will provide the required support to the NSIB in this regard. It must be stated that the specific cause(s) of this incident can only be established after the NSIB has conducted its investigation,” Achimugu said.
He added that the NCAA had already started organizational risk profiling for scheduled operators, including Max Air, which is approaching its completion.
While acknowledging the inconvenience caused to Max Air passengers, Achimugu stressed that passenger safety and well-being are the NCAA’s top priority and urged the public to be patient and understanding as the necessary measures are taken to ensure safety standards are met.
