By Emmanuel Uffot
Ibom Air, the only state owned airline in Nigeria last Friday took delivery of a brand new Airbus A220-300.
We gathered that the aircraft is one of the 10 the, Akwa Ibom State government had ordered from the aircraft manufacturers Airbus at their `2021 Dubai Air show.
In attendance at the handover ceremony held on Friday, 24 November 2023, at Airbus’s Mirabel facilities in Canada were the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the CEO of Ibom Air, Mr. Mfon Udom and the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. 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, Mr 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 trajectory, passengers can anticipate a superior travel experience characterized 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.
About Ibom Air
Ibom Air is a limited liability company wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, a sub-national in Nigeria. It aims to set the standard as an Airline of choice for passengers by focusing on schedule reliability, on-time departures, and excellent service. It has a fleet of seven Aircraft: five (5) Bombardier CRJ 900 and two (2) Airbus A320, covering eight (8) destinations. Ibom Air made a firm order of ten (10) Airbus A220s in line with its expansion plan, with the first delivery set for November 2023.
According to a statement from General Manager, Marketing and Communication Aniekan Essienette, the idea behind the procurement of more aircraft by the state- owned airline is not unconnected with the airline’s expansion drive beyond Nigeria to West African countries at first I stance then Europe.
It could be recalled that the airline recently launched its Ghana route.
