By Kolawole Ojebisi
Less than 24 hours after the tyre-burst incident involving one of the Max aircraft in Kano on Tuesday night, a sanction has been meted out to the airline.
This is as Federal Government, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, suspended Max Air’s domestic flight operations.
The affected Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with registration number 5N-MBD, suffered a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10:51 p.m. on 28 January 2025.
Although all 53 passengers on board were evacuated safely, the aircraft was temporarily grounded before the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria reopened the runway around 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has since launched an investigation into the incident — the third involving Max Air in three months.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, who confirmed the suspension in a statement released on Wednesday, stated that the regulatory body would support NSIB’s probe while also conducting its own assessment of the airline.
“It must be stated that the specific cause(s) of this incident can only be established after the NSIB has conducted its investigation,” Achimugu said.
“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for three months, effective from midnight on 31 January 2025, to allow for an internal review of its operations,” he added.
During the suspension period, the NCAA said it will conduct a comprehensive safety and economic audit of the airline.
“The safety audit will involve a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, as specified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations,” Achimugu explained.
He added that the economic audit would assess the airline’s financial health to ensure it can sustain safe flight operations.
“The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flights will depend on the satisfactory completion of this audit,” he added.
While acknowledging the potential disruption to passengers, the NCAA reassured the public that safety remained its top priority.
“The NCAA is aware of the inconvenience this action may cause Max Air’s intending passengers. However, the safety and well-being of passengers is paramount. We appeal for patience and understanding while we ensure the protection of passenger rights,” the statement added.
