The Akwa Ibom state airline known as Ibom Airline was commissioned today in Uyo, to commence commercial flight to Abuja and Lagos, with plans to extend flights to other regions of the country and eventually to other international routes.
The state took delivery of two Bombardier Aircraft CRJ series manufactured in by a Canadian firm, at today’s commissioning.
The state plans to acquire 10 aircraft during the life span of Emmanuel Udom tenure as governor, which is hoped, would terminate after his second term in 2023.
Apart from the two that landed at the Obong Victor Attah airport today, the state plans to take delivery of another on Friday, a fourth in August. Three others would arrive in 2021 and three others by 2022, according to the Technical Consultant to the project, Captain Paul Ubom.
The airline would operate three flights daily, one in the morning, another in the afternoon, and then another in the evening, from Uyo to Lagos and Abuja respectively.
Ubom said before the end of the Udom governorship era, the Ibom Airline would extend flights to other parts of the country and then to international routes.
Chairman of the Ibom Airline governing board, former military governor of Akwa Ibom state, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga said the Ibom Airline was the first state to develop and operate an airline in the country. He said the Nigerians would man the aircrafts and it would improve services to travelers in the South-Eastern region.
The commissioning was witnessed by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
