Despite NCAA’s threats to clamp down on illegal charter operators, violators continue uninterrupted flight

AS controversy rages on over the violation of the stipulated rules guiding the use of private jets by the owners who have mostly being identified as state governors, ministers and notable Nigerians, the illegality remains unabated.

The above the law body language of the private jet owners is however making the enforcement of the laws against the violators of the private jet rules cumbersome for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the agency of government saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the strict compliance of rules guiding private, chartered or commercial flight operations.

Prior to now, the stakeholders have raised the alarm over the abuse of the licence approved to the private jet owners by the NCAA which allows the owners of the private jets to use them for private services only.

While the NCAA rules clearly spelt it out that only holders of Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Airline Operating Permit (AOP) with a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC) are authorised to conduct charter operations, most of the private jet owners have been found culpable of illegally converting their jets into chartered operations.

Besides using the private jets to conduct  operations on hire and reward basis, the owners are been accused of using their jets to engage in some criminal activities like money laundering and flying wanted and questionable people out of the country amongst others.

The height of the illegality according to stakeholders is the involvement of the private jet operators to use the crime to enrich themselves at the same time defrauding the government through their constant denial of  the NCAA the required 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSA) from such illegal operations.

Before now, Private jet owners only receive minimal checks when compared to the commercial or chartered airlines from the NCAA a situation which gave them the liberty to continue with the illegal and dangerous operations.

The latest searchlight on the private jet owners has been traced to the involvement of two of them caught in engaging in illegal chartered flights.

In November last year, a private jet aircraft, HS 125, belonging to Flint Aero with the registration number: 5N-AMM, had a serious incident at Ibadan airport about 08:21pm (local time) when the pilot attempted to land the aircraft before the threshold in a sunset airport, while in January 24, 2024, another private jet from Mattini Airline Services Limited had a serious incident at the same airport.

In a swift response to the incidents and the furore over the illegal activities of the jet operators,  the NCAA announced its readiness to clamp down on all private jets operating as charter operators in the country.

The NCAA DG while accusing accused the recalcitrant jet owners of flouting the rules, called them out to  seek commercial licence if they wished to operate as a commercial or charter operator, expressing worry over the illegal actions of these operators in the nation.

According to NCAA DG: “NCAA will do some sting operations on the illegal chartered jet operators to ensure that operators who are not ready to comply should go and get AOC.”

Almost two months after the threat, the private jet owners still continue with the illegality, a situation that has attracted mixed reactions from stakeholders who accused the perpetrators of applying and receiving Private Non-Commercial License for their Aircraft utilization, only to rent out their aircraft for commercial flight charter operations.

In his remarks, the Director, Research, at Zenith Travels, Mr Olumide Ohunayo explained that illegal conversion of private jets to commercial purposes was beyond Nigeria.

According to him, such conversion also happens in Europe and America, but maintained that NCAA should not relent in its efforts at sanitising the sub-sector, while other agencies too should collaborate with the regulatory agency to ensure total stability.

His words: “I am surprised that the Air Force too is involved in this dastardly act and they cannot be controlled. When they are done with the agencies, the NCAA can now move to involving the National Security Adviser (NSA) because they are depriving the registered chartered operators revenues with these illegal operations.

“And again, the brokers within the system are the ones that are pushing for this because there is so much money that comes in. Look at the serious incident, which happened recently, look at the aircraft operations in the last 48 hours. Prior to that time, it had done about 20 sectors. Where is the owner going with about 20 sectors within 48hrs? So, it is a difficult task, but the NCAA should not relent and coordinate with other agencies.”

For an aviation security expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu, retired, many of the private jet aircraft that violate the NCAA regulations were either owned by politicians, political officeholders or religious bodies.

He attributed reasons behind the illegality of the jet owners to the fears that they may not be able to sustain and maintain their aircraft if they are not flying, hence, engage  in the illegal chartered services.

Ojikutu who said most of the private jets are foreign registered, cautioned that with the level of security threats in the country that such aircraft should not be allowed to operate in Nigeria for more than two months, while the movement is also restricted.

Read Also: Presidency endorses Abuja hospital for humanitarian services