Dana is yet to officially react to the suspension.
Despite its suspension by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Dana Air has continued to announce “cheaper fares” on the Abuja to Uyo and Calabar routes on its website.
“Abuja to Uyo & Calabar on sale now!!! Book now for cheapest fares!” the airline announces on its website.
Phone calls and text messages to Tony Usidamen, the airline’s spokesperson, were unanswered.
The airline’s suspension, on Sunday, came less than two weeks after Jacky Hathiramani had told its Board of Directors about the massive progress the Dana Air had made nine months after re-launching its flight operations.
The Dana Air’s Chief Executive Officer had also announced the re-launching of flight services to five major Nigerian cities after it resumed operations on January 4, 2013.
“We relish the opportunity to provide our world class air transport services to the traveling public and pledge our commitments to safety and service excellence,” Mr. Hathiramani had said during a quarterly review of the company’s operations last month.
“Our staff are more passionate than ever and our vision of becoming Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline is stronger.”
Yakubu Dati, Spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, told PREMIUM TIMES that the reason for the suspension was to conduct “an operational auditing” of the airline.
THRICE GROUNDED
Dana Air’s suspension came two days after an Associated Airline, conveying the remains of Olusegun Agagu, former Governor of Ondo State, crashed a few minutes after take-off at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.
Thirteen people – out of the 20 on board – lost their lives.
The announcement would also be the third time Dana Air’s operations would be suspended following the crash of its MD-83 aircraft in Lagos.
Two days after the June 3, 2012, Dana Air accident in which all the 153 passengers on board, as well as about 10 ground victims, lost their lives, the federal government revoked the airline’s operational license.
On March 17, 2013 – three months after the airline opened shop again, after resuming operations in January 2013 – the NCAA announced the suspension of its operations.
The suspension was, however, lifted two days later with NCAA stating that the move was to “resolve certain safety issues.”
Before its latest suspension, Dana Air operated 12 daily flights on its Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route; two daily flights on Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos route; two daily flights on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route; and one daily flight to Uyo and Calabar, from Abuja.
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