Akwa Ibom’s state-owned airline, Ibom Air, has expanded its fleet with two new Bombardier CRJ 900 NextGen aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE.
The formal reception took place on Friday, at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and were received by the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
Receiving the aircraft, the Governor stated that the addition of these two CRJ 900 next-generation aircraft is an assurance of his administration’s continuous support for Ibom Air and a strict adherence to the ARISE Agenda’s goal of strategic investment in sectors capable of stimulating economic growth and enhancing the status of Akwa Ibom, among the assemblage of states in Nigeria and the global space.
Speaking at the reception ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Mr. Mfon Udom emphasised the importance of the acquisition for the airline’s operations.
“We are delighted to welcome these two new CRJ 900 aircraft to our fleet. With this addition, Ibom Air now operates a total of nine aircraft, including two Airbus A220-300s and seven CRJ 900s.
“Still, we are not resting because to become a serious scheduled carrier, we need to keep growing our fleet. And so we eagerly await the deliveries of our nine remaining Airbus A220-300s from Airbus in the next 3 years”, he said.
ALSO READ: African leaders commit to reduce child mortality
These two new CRJ 900s were outright purchases financed through a shareholder loan. Their addition will bring more capacity to Ibom Air’s service offerings, facilitating better connectivity and reliability for travelers.
Describing the new aircraft; Ibom Air boss explained that, like other members of the CRJ Series family of aircraft, the light weight and advanced aerodynamics of the CRJ900 NextGen regional jet combine to deliver improved efficiency and reduced operating costs compared to other aircraft in its class.
He continued, “Since the launch of the earlier-generation CRJ900 aircraft, enhancements to the CRJ900 Next-Gen aircraft have resulted in up to 5.5 per cent fuel burn reduction.
“In addition to offering significant fuel cost savings per aircraft, as well as outstanding operational flexibility, the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft provides customers with an improved experience that includes excellent legroom, bright cabins resulting from large windows and LED lighting as well as large overhead bins.” Udom explained.
