Rano Air (R4, Kano) continues to operate domestic services with three of its five in-house E145s, ADS-B data confirms, dispelling Nigerian media reports that its operations have dwindled to one aircraft.

Nigeria's Business Hallmark news site reported last week that Rano Air had scaled down to one aircraft, claiming that a leasing company had reclaimed its unutilised aircraft. ch-aviation reached out to Rano Air for comment.

ADS-B data shows that 5N-BZU (msn 145562), 5N-BZX (msn 145587), and 5N-BZY (msn 145628) are operating regular schedules to Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, and Katsina. However, E145 5N-BZV (msn 145565) and 5N-BZW (msn 145585) have been out of service since February 29 and May 13, respectively. According to ch-aviation fleets, all aircraft in the fleet are company-owned.

Owned by Nigerian oil mogul Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, also known as AA Rano, the start-up received its air operator's certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority on April 14, 2023. It then launched commercial operations on May 7 of that year.