Max Air’s suspension may lead to airfare hike

Experts said the airline’s absence from the domestic scene may trigger increases because of reduced aircraft seats on the routes.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced that the suspension was with immediate effect.

Director of Operations Training and Licensing, Captain Ibrahim Dambazau, in a July 12 letter, stated that the decision was due to the several occurrences involving the aircraft type.

The occurrences include the loss of the Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with the number 5N-MBD.

It occurred between take-off at Yola Airport in Adamawa State and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on May 7.

Another factor is fuel contamination of the main tanks of the B737-300 aircraft, with number 5N-MHM, which led to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shut down on the ground at Yola Airport on July 7.

According to NCAA, on July 11, there was an aborted take-off of the airline’s Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with registration number 5N-MBD, which occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT).

NCAA said a Max Air aircraft B737-300, numbered 5N-MHM, had an air return to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) due to duct overheat indication in the cockpit on July 11.

The agency said it has constituted a team of inspectors to conduct an audit on Max Air to determine whether the aircraft type can recommence operation.

The NCAA and the National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) will jointly probe the airline’s operations.

Aeronautical authorities are concerned about the spate of near-air mishaps involving the carrier in the last few months.

Industry experts have called on aviation authorities to examine the quality of aviation fuel supplied to the carrier and possibly carry out traceability studies on the storage facility used by the fuel marketer.

Already, 11 indigenous carriers are aiming to take over the 11 routes flown by Max Air.

The airline has a homogeneous fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft type for its domestic operations in Lagos, Kano, Yola, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Benin, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Jos and Katsina Airports.

Max Air is also designated on the Jeddah, route in Saudi Arabia.

While the carrier is temporarily off the skies, other airlines: United Nigeria Airlines, Air Peace, Ibom Air, Arik Air, Ibom Air, AeroContractors Airlines, Green Africa Airways, Overland Airways, Value Jets Airlines, Rano Air and AZMAN Air will be competing to take over passengers on the routes.

According to aviation economists, fares on domestic routes are determined by the number of aircraft seats offered by carriers plying the destination.

More aircraft seats, an expert familiar with the development said, would result in lower fares, while fewer aircraft seats by a lone operator would amount to higher fares on the router.

The absence of Max Air on major northern routes could trigger higher fares as the few operators on the route will exploit it to their advantage.

New entrants on the route, Rano Air and AZMAN Air, as well as Air Peace, Aero Contractors and Arik Air, may capitalise on the absence of Max Air to increase their flight frequency into northern routes.

We’ll be back in a week

Max Air Executive Director, Shehu Wada, said the suspension of its operations by the NCAA is being resolved.

He assured passengers, especially those who have pending bookings with the airline, not to panic.

He explained that the airline discovered that an adulterated fuel was sold to it and in line with its commitment to safety, decided to carry out an in-house audit and suspend operation for two days before the NCAA waded in.

He said the issues which border on safety would be resolved in less than a week, adding the airline remains committed to safe operations at all times.

“The fact is that there was the issue of adulterated fuel which we also noted. It was noticed by our maintenance. We decided to give ourselves a two-day break to be able to audit ourselves which the NCAA got the wind off.

“That is the true story. So, safety is our number one priority and we are looking at it. Nobody will joke with the life of anybody.”

On the domestic operations, he said: “We will try and see what we can do in the interim. It is not something major and we will resolve it within a week.

“It is a safety issue and we have to follow the process. It only shows that everybody is conscious of its responsibility.”

NAHCON: pilgrims won’t be affected

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said the indefinite suspension of Max Air will not affect the ongoing transportation of Nigerian pilgrims back to home.

Max Air is one of the airlines approved by the Federal Government to transport 16,326 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and back to the country after the 2023 hajj ritual.

Deputy Director, Information and Publication, Malam Mousa Ubandawaki, said: “The suspension does not and won’t affect the ongoing Hajj airlift operation in Saudi Arabia.”

A history incidents

Before Max Air’s suspension, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had said the incident involving the carrier’s Boeing 737-400 aircraft with registration number 5N-MBD on May 7 was due to poor maintenance and power failure.

The Director General of the NSIB, Akin Olateru, said days before the aircraft was operated, the wheel was worked on.

Olateru said: “Days before the use of the aircraft, the wheels were worked on and when you work on the wheel, there are ways you are supposed to tighten the knots, there is what we call locking wire of the knots and there are other things to secure the wheel in place.

“Two days after, the wheel came out. That shows that something must be wrong with the maintenance of the aircraft. Whoever did the wheel did not follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on how to change the wheel.

“So, for a wheel to have fallen off, even Boeing was also interested in this because it is their aircraft and they find the news very embarrassing. So, they are working with us so that they can have firsthand information.”