Ibom Air is to take delivery of 10 new Airbuses, A220-300 series next month in a move to grow its market share of passengers in the aviation sector.
Governor Umo Eno announced this when he received Aviation Minister, Festus Keysmo at the Akwa Ibom lodge in Abuja.
The airline which is wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom State government already had seven aircraft in its fleet and began operations in 2018.
Eno used the opportunity to solicit partnership with the Ministry of Aviation for continuous development and expansion of the State – owned airline, Ibom Air.
He noted that the State is committed to aviation development, and currently, has a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, (MRO) facility and a new international smart terminal building at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo.
The governor who is on a working visit to Abuja, informed the Minister that the State will be receiving ten brand new A220-300 Airbuses next month, and used the opportunity to invite him to be the Special Guest of Honour at the event.
He noted that the new addition of Airbuses, is part of the efforts by the State government to expand the operations of the State – owned airline.
He noted that the State under his watch seeks to connect the dots of development by the previous administrations for the benefit of every Akwa Ibomites.
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He pleaded for the full commencement of operations of the Maintenance, Overhaul and Repairs ( MRO) facility, a signature aviation facility fully constructed by the state government.
Earlier, the Minister, Festus Keyam assured that the ministry will continue to support the state government in its determined efforts to develop and expand its aviation sector. He applauded Ibom Air for the strides it has recorded in the aviation sector.
In a related development, the airline has successful taken delivery of the first of (10) ten Airbus A220-300 aircraft ordered from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus at the 2021 Dubai Airshow.
In attendance at the modest handover ceremony held on Friday, 24 November 2023, at Airbus’s Mirabel facilities in Canada were the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, the CEO of Ibom Air, Mfon Udom and the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, George Uriesi.
On hand from Airbus to perform the handover were Benoît Schultz, President and CEO of Airbus Canada; Daniel Wenninger, Head of the A220 Programme Office; and Marc Arpin, Head of A220 Customer Line, Airbus Canada.
The Airbus A220-300 stands at the forefront of modern aviation technology, garnering global recognition for its revolutionary fuel efficiency, cutting-edge technology, and top-notch passenger comfort and safety features. Adaptable for short and medium-haul commercial operations, with a range of up to 7 hours (up to 3,450 nm).
The addition of the Airbus A220-300 to Ibom Air’s fleet positions the airline for expanded service across diverse destinations within the African continent.
Chief Executive Officer, Mfon Udom, expressed great enthusiasm on the arrival of the Airbus A220-300, saying: “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.”
As Ibom Air continues on its growth, passengers can anticipate a superior travel experience characterised by world-class on board services, enhanced schedule reliability, and more punctual departures.
Ibom Air remains dedicated to providing unparalleled air travel experiences as it enters this new phase of expansion and service excellence, according to a statement by Aniekan Essienette, head of marketing and communication of the company.
