Aviation

NCAA downgrades Med-View’s operation, to withdraw licence

 

By Matthew Denis

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has disclosed plans to
withdraw the operating certificate of Med-View Airline Plc by
November, over prolonged shutdown of commercial operations.
The withdrawal notice was in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation’s
Regulations (Nig. CARs) that prohibit non-usage of operating licence
for between three to nine months or violation of its provisions.
It was learnt that the NCAA had since downgraded the airlines’
scheduled operation to the status of chartered operator. The apex
regulator, however, still awaits the revival of its operations
accordingly, without which the licence withdrawal will take effect
The new twist to a festering distress at Med-View has also thrown the
management and workers into panic mode. It was learnt that while the
management were jostling to return at least an aircraft into
operation, its workers had begun to seek new vacancies elsewhere amid
uncertainties at Med-View.
Recall that the airline shut down operations early August over
protracted financial and operational difficulties.
The management had denied a shut down, but admitted to a temporary
blackout to attend to maintenance of its operating aircraft, and set
to resume operations in a matter of days
Instead of returning to operations, the airline’s last set of workers
at the Murtala Muhammed Airport terminal II (MMA2) booking counter had
lately left and shut the office.
A staffer of the airline yesterday, said: “despite efforts by the
management, there is no hope on the horizon.”
She said although the airline lately paid one month salary out of
between six month to one year backlog (depending on the category of a
worker), “fears keep mounting over the fate of the airline.”
We learnt that the NCAA will withdraw the licence by November 10.
Everyone is panicking. I know some colleagues that had simply sought
new jobs and moved on. Even me, I have been submitting my résumé for
jobs lately. Nobody seems to understand what the CEO is doing with the
airline,” she said.
The NCAA yesterday confirmed the licence withdrawal threat.
Spokesperson of the NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, said in line with the
provisions of the civil aviation regulation, the airline’s operation
had been downgraded to non-scheduled operations as a stop-gap measure
to keep the airline running till its gets out of the woods.
Recall that the airline pulled out of the London Gatwick and Dubai
routes last year after a brief stint in the international market,
citing harsh local operating environment, and aircraft leasing
programme that went awry amid aggressive aeropolitics.
The workers also felt the pinch. Between November 2017 and June 2018,
the airline laid off a huge chunk of its workforce especially the
outstation offices.

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