Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors, has promised to give out 60 free air tickets to air passengers in celebration of its 60th anniversary. This was revealed by the Managing Director, Capt. Ado Sanusi in Lagos at a Press Conference yesterday to kick start the celebrations.
This is just as the former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Mr. Harold Demuren, at the same event, commended the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for its intervention in the aviation industry.
It would be recalled that following difficulties and insolvency threats, the federal government intervened through AMCON by taking over the Aero airline about three years ago. Thereafter, Capt. Ado Sanusi was moved from Arik airline (another airline taken over by AMCON) to Aero to reposition the then ailing company.
According to Sanusi, “my vision for Aero is for the airline company to regain its prime position of excellence and dominance in the domestic and regional routes. For the charter services, it is my vision that Aero shall the Gulf of Guinea oil and gas operations and for the Maintenance organization, it is my vision that we retain enough technical capacity to emerge as the reference point for aircraft maintenance”.
He revealed that the company has been structured into four business units-Airline services, aircraft maintenance, approved training and charter services.
The airline services, he said “has since December 2016 returned to full operations and grown its fixed wing operational aircraft from 1 to 4. It is our expectation to grow our fixed wing aircraft to 6 by the close of this year”.
Capt. Sanusi added that “the Aircraft Maintenance Organisation granted to Aero makes Aero the first domestic aircraft company to obtain a Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority certification as an approved maintenance organization with capacity to conduct C-Checks on B737 Classics.
“Indeed has successfully conducted three C-Checks on 737 CL Boeing aircraft relying wholly on our indigenous engineers with technical support from Messrs AJW/SAA Technics partners. As our technical partners”.
Moreso, Aero Contractors has in recent years been able to grow its passengers figures from 8,000 monthly to 52,000 monthly. The company also plans a fitness and awareness walk as part of activities of the anniversary.
The MD concluded by saying “on behalf of the receiver manager, staff friends and family, I thank you all for the opportunity given to me to contribute my bit to repositioning Aero for sustained operations and profitability”.
Representative of the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Eyo Ita commended Aero airline for adhering to the rules and regulations guiding the aviation business in the country.
According to him, “Aero currently has a prudent management, adheres to regulatory guidelines, the financial records are in the green. We are lucky to have Capt. Ado here, Aero is in the right direction”.
