FG Probes Aero Contractors use of Ladder to Disembark Passengers

THE Federal Government has directed an immediate investigation into the use of an unauthorized equipment ( a ladder) by Aero Contractors Airlines to disembark passengers at the conclusion of a charter flight to Bauchi over the weekend, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has said .Most passengers who flew on the char­ter flight had raised an alarm bothering on safety with the decision of the airline to use a ladder for the passengers to come out from a Boeing 737 aircraft operated that day (Saturday December 19, 2015) at the Bauchi airport.
In a statement yesterday, the minister frowned at the act noting “it is inconsis­tent with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regula­tions (NCARs) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). “
“The investigation will determine the immediate and remote causes of the in­cident with a view to developing and implementing measures that will prevent a reoccurrence of the unsafe and unac­ceptable procedure that exposed
passengers to high risk of serious in­jury,” the statement said.
“If the airline is found culpable, the full weight of sanctions within extant laws and regulations would be applied on it,” it added. .
Sirika further states that the aviation ministry will not shriek in its responsibil­ity to ensure a safe and secure air trans­port services which he views as sacrosant.
It would be recalled that last Saturday’s incident created chaos as well as humour as passengers were made to use a ladder to disembark on a special charter flight operated by Aero from Abuja to Bau­chi airport. Problems started when the aircraft touched down and it was found out that the ground handling equipment had problems and could not deploy the conventional air stairs to bring down pas­sengers. Aero in a statement lamented the embarrassment the problems had caused passengers and the risk it also possed at­tributing the problem to the management of the airport.