Dana Air has temporarily disengaged some of its staff members. This comes on the heels of its recent grounding and an ongoing audit by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The carrier’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Ezenwa, said this in a statement on Saturday.
He said the audit, which is currently in progress, is a joint effort between the company and regulatory authorities to ensure strict adherence to all required standards and regulations.
“In light of the ongoing audit, Dana Air has made the decision to temporarily disengage some staff members pending the conclusion of the audit,” Ezenwa said.
“The Management of Dana Air extends its sincere appreciation to all staff members for their resilience and dedication during this period of uncertainty. It recognises the difficulties that staff have had to endure and assures them that every effort is being made to resolve the situation promptly,” it added.
Dana Air also reaffirmed “its commitment to full cooperation with the authorities to facilitate a smooth and expedited resolution” of the audit process.
It said that the airline remains committed to providing updates and support to its staff throughout the process and while these challenges are being addressed, it has commenced talks with lessors and is currently engaging stakeholders on the progress made so far.
“Dana Air therefore urges for calm and understanding from our very dedicated staff for their altruism and stakeholders,” the airline said
Suspension
Last month, the NCAA suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Airlines with immediate effect.
The directive was contained in a letter issued and endorsed by the NCAA Acting Director General, Chris Najomo, in Abuja. It said the action was based on “elevated safety concerns” posed by the airline.
The airline suspension came less than 48 hours after an aircraft (MD82 with registration marks 5SN-BKI) belonging to Dana Air experienced a runway incursion upon landing at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos from Abuja.
According to the airline, all the 83 passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft were evacuated safely.
“We are relieved to confirm that all 83 passengers and crew onboard the flight disembarked safely without injuries or fear as the crew handled the situation with the utmost professionalism,” the airline said, adding that the country’s investigation Bureau and NCAA had been properly briefed about the incident
