Domestic Service Gains more Seats as Dana Air Resumes Operations

Chinedu Eze

Four months after it was grounded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria’s carrier, Dana Air has announced that it would resume flight operations on November 9, 2022, after a successful conclusion of the audit organised by the regulatory authority.

The airline in a statement said: ‘’ We are pleased to announce that we will resume flights operations on November 9, 2022, having successfully concluded an audit organised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.”

The Accountable Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Dana Air, Ememobong Ettete said, “The audit for us was a re-engineering and restructuring process and having successfully concluded the audit and an extensive one at that for the second time, and with a new management team fully in charge, we are now well positioned despite the current challenges and hostile economic environment, and concentrating fully on strengthening our operations efficiently for sustainable growth while still offering safe, reliable and exciting flying experience to our loyal guests.’’

He continued, ‘’As a proudly Nigerian brand with Nigerians at the helm of affairs and with over 14 years service to the Nigerian flying public, we remain eternally grateful to our customers, travel partners, clients and vendors for keeping faith with us while the audit lasted and we would never take your loyalty and support for granted as it means a lot to us.

“We wish to also express our profound gratitude to the NCAA for the painstaking Audit process and the professionalism exhibited by the team of inspectors and also the management personnel who stayed sometimes beyond their official closing times to see that we do what is needed to be done properly and in good time during the course of the Audit process.”

He said the audit has repositioned them as a vibrant and resilient brand and it’s turned out really good for us and for the industry at large.

This is also highly recommended for all domestic airlines for the good of the industry.

The airline said for customers with unused tickets, it has extended their validity for one year, a transfer option is also available to them adding that they shall be offering competitive fares, and gifting free tickets onboard its flights for the next 30 days from November 9th.

Also speaking on the resumption, Kingsley Ezenwa, Dana Air’s Head of Corporate Communications said: “We wish to sincerely and once again tender our unreserved apologies to all our customers, vendors, travel partners, corporate clients for the abrupt suspension of our flights.

“We totally regret the inconveniences caused and we wish to reassure them that Dana Air remains strong and will never take their patronage, relationship and loyalty for granted.’’

Dana Air, known for its best in-flight service and on time operation created a vacuum when it stopped operation.

In July 2022, the NCAA suspended Dana Air operations indefinitely over its alleged inability to run safe operations.