Abuja — Reacting to reports in some national dailies yesterday that NICON Airways along with three others were grounded at the weekend, Managing Director of the airline, Otunba Yele Akinrolabu, said NICON Airways even flew the Owerri route early hours of yesterday (Sunday).

Akinrolabu pointed out that one of the airline's aircraft was currently carrying out maintenance service, stressing that the engineers finished work on the plane Saturday.

"We shall carry out a flight test on this aircraft Monday with NCAA officials," he said.

The Federal Government, at the weekend, had suspended the operating licences of four airlines in a bid to guarantee safety in the skies.

Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode had said the measure would lead to a complete global re-certification of all airlines in the country.

He however warned that while the Federal Government would extend its support in terms of creating an enabling environment for the airlines to have access to funds to modernise their fleet, operators that compromise safety would face the full wrath of the law.