The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, yesterday has withheld Azman Air Transport License, ATL, pending when the airline provides required documentation for its operational licenses re-newal and sign a Memorandum of Understanding how it would remit over N1.2bn legacy debt accrued from collection of Passenger Service Charge PSC.

 ATL is issued as authorisation to airlines to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services they offer. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the Air Operator Certificate, AOC, that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services. Without ATL the AOC are invalid.

Gopde Global Resources Aviation World, gathered that the suspension would affect the travel through the northern part of the country as Azman is the major carrier along that routes.

The development will impact capacity on other route within the country negatively.

It was also gathered that the indefinite suspension is coming barely two months after the suspension of Dana Airlines on July 20, 2022, in pursuant to Section 35(2), 3(b) and (4) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and Part 1.3.3.3(a)(1) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs), 2015.

Also, in same month, Aero Contractors suspended its flight operations, due to its inability to sustain daily operations as a result of hike in Jet A1, along with other financial constraints.