IRS Airlines (Abuja) is hoping to resume operations in either late January or early February once its aircraft, a Fokker 100, is returned into service. Along with Chanchangi Airlines (NCH, Kaduna), the airline was grounded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in late October 2013. In the wake of the Associated Aviation (SCD, Lagos) crash in September, the NCAA ordered all scheduled airline operators whose fleet size consisted of only one operational aircraft to immediately suspend flight operations. For its part, Chanchangi had pledged to restart flights to Kaduna, Abuja and Lagos on either January 13 or 14. Its fleet consists of three B737s: two B737-300s and one B737-500. At the time of its grounding, two of the airline's aircraft had been in for necessary maintenance.
By Ivan Nadalet
14Jan2014