ValueJet has received the first two purchased aircraft, as the Airline prepares for demo flights as required by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The Airline is currently preparing its fleet for the mandatory regulatory exercises as the next milestone towards receiving AOC.
Both aircraft (CRJ-900) with registration 5N-BXS and 5N-BXT arrived at 16:00 GMT and 16:10 GMT respectively at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday, May 20th, 2022.
Speaking on the aviation landscape and the opportunities in the industry, the Chairman, ValueJet – Kunle Soname, highlighted Nigeria’s role in driving global trade as an African carrier. He said – “Despite all the existing challenges in the industry, Nigeria and Africa is well poised to drive economic growth with an effective aviation sector. ValueJet is a dream Airline that is gradually being positioned to efficiently facilitate growth opportunities across geographies”.
Captain Omololu Majekodunmi, Managing Director – ValueJet, expressed his excitement on the arrival activities and stated – “This is one of the many defining steps in ValueJet’s anticipated milestones. Performance, safety, and comfort informed the choice of our aircraft selection. With a track record of safety, ValueJet will deploy these aircraft for regional flight services once we have completed all mandatory processes and secured AOC approvals”.
According to the Head of Business Program, Temitope Ajijola – “ValueJet’s vision is ambitious. We see a world where everybody can fly. Our aim is to add value from the very first flight once we are set for business operations. Currently, only about 5% of Nigeria’s population can afford a flight ticket according to available statistics and ValueJet is looking to increase this number significantly through creative fare pricing”.
Now in Lagos, both aircraft took off from Spain where the livery branding, maintenance, and acceptance were completed. The arrival of the third aircraft is anticipated in the nearest future.
