The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella association of domestic airlines, has denied media report that its members owe lessors, while revealing that two airlines had been victims of foreign firms that leased aircraft to them in the past.
Reacting to news reports by Business Day newspaper, the association, through a press statement by its spokesman, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, said their members had always worked hard to meet their contractual obligations.
It described the news report as “false, malicious and defamatory” and demanded a retraction as well as an apology.
Describing the newspaper’s reports as capable of eroding confidence and destroying the aviation industry, the AON threatened to lay complaints against the newspaper on relevant media oversight bodies or seek legal redress.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has been drawn to a report published on the cover page of Business Day on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, titled: ’13 Nigerian Airlines Blacklisted for Contract Breaches’ and a follow up story on July 18, titled: “Air Peace, Ibom Air, United Nigeria, Max Air, others say not blacklisted by lessors.”
“The first report claimed that 13 airlines, including Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Arik, Azman, Dana, Green Africa, Ibom Air, Max Air, United Nigeria Airline, and Valuejet, were blacklisted for refusing to pay lessor fees.
“The second report claimed that airline operators denied owing lessors even when the newspaper did not officially speak with the managements of the airlines it listed in its earlier report.
“For the avoidance doubt, we categorically state that the first report is entirely false, malicious and defamatory. The second report is even worse as the newspaper, instead of doing the honourable thing required of it for publishing falsehood- that is retraction- started concocting information to justify fake news.
“We want to state that Nigerian airlines have consistently worked very hard to meet their contractual obligations with lessors despite operating within a challenging business environment.
“It is also a well-known fact that the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, since assuming office, acknowledged the challenges domestic operators face and has made concerted efforts to create an enabling environment for us to operate.
“For the public’s information, two of the airlines mentioned – Air Peace and Azman – have themselves been victims of fraud by lessors, incurring losses exceeding $2 million. Despite these setbacks, domestic airlines have remained committed to serving the Nigerian public.
“We find the publication of such inaccuracies very disheartening. We see it as a calculated attempt to erode confidence and to destroy the aviation industry.
“We demand an immediate retraction of the report and apology by Businessday with the same prominence given to the inaccurate cover stories.
“In the absence of a satisfactory response, we may be forced to file a complaint with relevant media oversight bodies, take legal action or both to protect our reputation.”
