Ibom Air, the airline owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, has successfully received the initial installment of 10 new Airbus A220-300 aircraft that it had previously ordered from the renowned European manufacturer, Airbus.
This significant delivery materialized two years after the airline formalized the agreement with Airbus at the Dubai Airshow in November 2021.
The announcement of this milestone was made in a statement released on Friday by Aniekan Essienette, the Group Manager of Marketing and Communication for the company.
The official handover ceremony took place at Airbus’ Mirabel facility in Canada.
The event garnered the presence of key figures from Ibom Air, including its CEO, Mfon Udom, and was further graced by the attendance of Udom Emmanuel, the immediate-past governor of the state, under whose tenure the airline was established.
The collective participation of these dignitaries underscored the significance of this achievement for Ibom Air and its role in the regional aviation landscape.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the airline’s CEO, Mr Udom said, “The introduction of the Airbus A220-300 to our fleet is a game-changing leap forward for Ibom Air. The decision to invest in a fleet of highly efficient brand-new aircraft to power our growth plans underscores our determination to offer no less than world-class airline services to our valued customers.”
Ibom Air, which currently has seven aircraft (five Bombardier CR900 and two Airbus A220-300) in its fleet, flies 11 routes spanning six cities in the country including, the nation’s capital, Abuja, and Nigeria’s commercial city, Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt.
The airline, which started commercial operations in 2019, has become one of the most top rated in Nigeria’s airspace, garnering several awards, including best airline of the year for three consecutive years – 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Earlier in the year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) awarded the airline a safety certification.
As part of its expansion drive, the airline, in October, launched its first African sub-regional flight, touching down in the West African country, Ghana.
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With the arrival of the new aircraft, the airline is expected to expand its operations to other West and Central African countries.
The Akwa Ibom State Government, as part of the efforts for the smooth take-off of the Ibom Air’s international flight operations, on 28 May, commissioned an International Terminal, Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) facility, a new taxiway and an apron extension to cater for the anticipated influx of people at the airline hub – Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo.
