NCAA clears Max Air, restarts domestic on Friday

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has cleared Max Air to resume domestic flights from midnight on March 17, 2025, after completing a comprehensive economic and safety audit.

The announcement, made in a statement signed by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, on behalf of the NCAA’s Director General, came on Monday.

Following the NCAA clearance, Max Air has announced that it would resume domestic flight operations on Friday.

A statement by Max Air said that the 90-day “strategic pause” allowed the airline to reinforce its commitment to safety, compliance and operational excellence.

“During this period, we worked closely with aviation authorities to ensure that all statutory requirements were met while enhancing our service delivery standards,” the airline said.

The airline added that all previously booked passengers whose flights were affected would be given priority rebooking options.

Max Air had voluntarily suspended domestic operations for 90 days following a series of flight incidents.

During this period, the NCAA conducted an extensive audit to assess the airline’s compliance with regulatory standards.

The NCAA audited Max Air from February 26–28, 2025, assessing its structure, operations, personnel, and maintenance per the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023. After confirming compliance, the airline was cleared to resume operations.

“Following the successful completion of an economic and safety audit, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved Max Air to resume its domestic flight operations.

“Recall that, Max Air voluntarily suspended its domestic operations for 90 days after a series of incidents on its flights. 

“This decision, effective from midnight on January 31, 2025, was welcomed by the NCAA,” the statement read in part.

Max Air faced a series of flight incidents leading up to its voluntary suspension in January 2025.

With the latest clearance from the NCAA, Max Air is set to resume domestic operations across Nigeria.(www.amatropics.com)