Abuja — Bellview Airline has finally grounded its regional operations following its continuous delay and cancellations of flights on its London route.

Some of the airline's passengers were seen groaning round the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammad International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

According to one passenger, Mr. P.A Idiaghe, who is suppose to travel on Wednesday this week said that he was at the airport based on a text message he received that the airline will not be flying until November this year after which he purchased his ticket last week Tuesday at the airlines ticket counter.

He said that he bought a return Abidjan, Ivory Coast with N55.000, only to be informed by the airline that it's not flying.

Idiaghe described Bellview action as fraud saying that collection of money under false pretence is fraudulent. "The airline should by now have known that it is not going to fly, why did it sell tickets? He queried".

He lamented the paucity of fund in his disposal with which he could purchase ticket and said aviation regulatory authority in the country must visit the case on behalf of the passengers.

A staff of the airline who spoke to Daily Trust under anonymity confirmed the grounding of the operations, saying that the airline is making arrangements to put the affected passengers on other airlines they have interlining agreement with.

She however said refunding is doubtful as there was no money with the airlines ground staff at the tickets sales counter.

It could be recalled that the airlines operations has been epileptic since June this year when its London Heathrow passengers were stranded on different occasions at MMIA.

The airline also announced suspension of her scheduled passenger service between Lagos - Johannesburg from July 11, 2009 to March 31, 2010.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) however was force to stop the sales of tickets on its London route in September before Bellview airline decided to ground all its flights operations both on domestic and regional routes till November.

An attempt to speak with the airline through its public affairs manager proved abortive as calls made to his line was not answered as at the time of filling this report. Meanwhile, the Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren who spoke to journalists on a telephone conversation said the regulatory body has not grounded the airline but since the airline has just one aircraft it is advisable to take such decision which NCAA has no objection to.

"If it realizes that it does not have equipment to carry out its operations effectively having series of flight cancellations in the recent time, the decision to ground its operations is a welcome one until the airline would be able to get equipment that will help its operations effectively," NCAA DG said.

Belview before grounding its operations was flying to London, South Africa and some West African countries which include, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Lome.

The airline is one of the three airlines designated to commence direct flight operation between Nigeria and USA upon the attainment of Category One status.