The controversy surrounding the diversion of an Abuja-bound United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) flight to Asaba has taken another dimension as the airline has suspended its flight dispatcher.
Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, Head of Corporate Communications at United Nigeria Airlines, confirmed the suspension on Wednesday.
“The suspension was not an indictment, but an action to enable investigation”, he said in a terse statement.
DAILY POST gathered that the suspension order would remain in place until after the ongoing investigation into the incident is concluded.
On Sunday, passengers expressed displeasure as a UNA NUA0504 flight heading to Abuja landed in Asaba.
Consequently, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority suspended the wet lease of UNA and commenced an investigation into the incident.
However, the Flight Dispatcher Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN), the association of flight dispatchers in the country, has condemned UNA’s action.
FLIDAN, in a statement by Victoria Adegbe, Secretary General, insisted that the flight dispatcher followed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8-Operations.
“The Airlines’ Operational Control, ATC should not have granted a scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination not as filed by the flight dispatcher. In a show of absolute disregard for aviation law, the airline went ahead to suspend the flight dispatcher who upheld the licence issued by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and carried out his job as required by law.”
