The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it is withholding the Air Transport License ( ATL) of local operator Azman Air till a time when the carrier provides the required documentation for its operational licenses renewal.
According to the NCAA, after the documents have been provided, the airline would have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how it would remit it’s N1.2bn legacy debt accrued from collection of Passenger Service Charge( PSC).
The Director General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu who spoke to journalists via a Whatsapp call this afternoon, confirmed this development.
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The ATL is issued as authorisation to airlines to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.
Captain Nuhu stressed that without the ATL, the airline’s Air Operators Certificate (AOC) becomes invalid.
The NCAA DG said Azman must provide Tax Clearance as one of the documentation for its ATL and must sign the MOU to negotiate it’s debt remittance which is part of the N42bn and $7.8m debt in PSC.
He added that the Regulatory agency is standing by the decision it made last month that any airline that doesn’t pay the legacy debt owed will not have its licenses, AOC, and ATL renewed.