The nation’s current economic situation has made it near impossible for some Nigerian Airlines to bring back their aircraft taken abroad for routine maintenance as a result of outrageous maintenance bills, which have tripled due to the crash of the value of Naira.
With the low value of the Naira, the airlines are paying more than twice the maintenance cost they used to pay to carry out C-Check on their aircraft.
Some aircraft have been in different maintenance facilities in Europe, South Africa, Middle East and the US. Some of the airplanes, according to source, had spent more than one year in these facilities, ThisDay checks revealed.
It was learnt that a carrier abandoned about five of its planes in a maintenance hangar due to lack of funds to pay for the services and ferry them back in Nigeria.
Sources at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, confirmed this development, adding that about 25 percent of existing aircraft owned by commercial airlines are on maintenance or AOG (aircraft on ground) either because they are no more airworthy or are due for maintenance.
A major glitch plaguing the airlines is that they generate revenues in Naira whereas they carry out maintenance and purchase major aircraft parts in foreign currency.
Recently the Chairman of Airlines Operators of Nigeria, AON, Nogie Meggison called on the federal government to make dollars available for the airlines and warned of the dire consequences if airlines are unable to access forex to carry out critical activities like aircraft maintenance.
