NCAA restores Discovery Air’s operating licence

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has restored the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) of Discovery Air about four months after it was suspended for allegedly breaching safety regulations.


This is just as the regulatory body said it would carry out a mini audit on the airline before it commences flight operations.

Discovery Air got its AOC in June 4, 2014 but was suspended by NCAA in January 8, 2015 six months after it began flight operations.

The Director General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, confirmed the lifting of suspension placed on the operations of Discovery Air in a letter sent to the management of the airline titled, “Notice of Restoration of Air Operators Certificate.”

Usman explained that the decision to restore the airline’s AOC was predicated on the satisfactory conclusion of a Financial Health Audit of the airline. “in the aftermath of the audit, the management of the airline has demonstrated encouraging commitment to offset the outstanding staff salaries by the 30th of April, 2015,” he said.

He said in addition, all staff sent on compulsory leave without pay have been recalled, adding that NCAA is satisfied with the letters of credit from the airline’s  financiers, which had provided guarantee for its business in the long term.

“Therefore, in consideration of all the actions taken by the airline to address passenger complaints, the authority, pursuant to Section 35(6) of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 hereby lifts the suspension of, and restores the Airline’s Air Operators Certificate (AOC) with effect from the date of receipt of this letter” Capt Usman said.

NCAA had said that suspending the airline’s AOC in January was in pursuit of its oversight responsibilities as stipulated by law.