The Federal Government has succumbed to pressures to lift the suspension of the Air Operating Certificate (AOC) of Dana Air which was suspended in the wake of the June 3,2012 aircraft accident involving a Dana Air flight in Lagos in which more than 153 persons lost their lives.
The government has been under pressure to lift the ban on the operations of the airline due to the reduced capacity it created in the nation's domestic airline operations.
Mr. Joe Obi, Special Assistant (Media) to the aviation minister who announced this yesterday, said the lifting of the operating license of Dana Air, "follows government's satisfaction with the air-worthiness of the airline after a rigorous technical, operational and financial audit of the airline.
"By this development, Dana Airline is free to resume its normal commercial flight operations. Government will however continue to strengthen its oversight and regulatory functions to ensure that all airlines operating in the country, including Dana adhere strictly to safety procedures as required by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act and all other relevant local and international regulations that ensure and promote sustainable air safety."
He added that the operating license of Dana Airlines was temporarily suspended following the crash of one of its aircraft on June 3, in Lagos as a safety precaution.
Some industry stakeholders had condemned the government's step over the grounding of the airline's operations stating that it was not usually a global practice, while others had stressed that it was important as the airline operates only MD83 aircraft, stating it was safety measure that will determine if the aircraft type had structural defects.
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