Minister of Aviation
The Federal government has impounded an aircraft belonging to a United Kingdom based Airline, Flair Aviation, for engaging in illegal operations into the country.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika this afternoon via his personal Twitter handle
Sirika claimed the aircraft was impounded after it was discovered that it was used for commercial operations instead of the humanitarian services for which it was approved.
It would be recalled that the nation has closed her airspace to flights in March since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Only flights on special operations like movement of humanitarian services and medical goods are approved to operate into the country on requests.
Sirika who did not give the details of the aircraft and the commercial operations it was used for, said the crew are undergoing interrogations while maximum penalty would be visited on the airline for the violation.
Below is the message as it appeared on the Minister’s Twitter handle:
‘COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve!”
