The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced the suspension of Max Air for three months following an incident involving its aircraft, with registration number 5N-MBD, which suffered a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 22:51 hours.
In a statement on Wednesday, NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Micheal Achimugu, disclosed that the suspension will take effect from midnight on Friday, January 31, 2025. This measure will allow Max Air to conduct an internal review of its operations while the NCAA undertakes a thorough safety and economic audit.
The safety audit will reassess Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft in line with Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. Meanwhile, the economic audit will evaluate the airline’s financial health to ensure it can sustain safe flight operations. Achimugu emphasized that Max Air’s domestic flights will only resume upon the satisfactory completion of the audit. He also noted that the NCAA will support the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in determining the exact cause of the incident.
“The NCAA had already begun organisational risk profiling for all scheduled operators, including Max Air, and this process is nearing completion,” he stated.
While acknowledging the inconvenience to passengers, the NCAA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safety and protecting passenger rights. Achimugu appealed for patience and understanding, stressing that passenger safety remains the authority’s top priority.
