Ibom Air has dismissed allegations that it operates a monopoly at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, or uses its position as the home-based airline to prevent other carriers from operating into the airport.

The airline, in a statement issued by Group Manager, Marketing and Communication, Aniekan Essienette, yesterday, said that it had neither the authority nor the regulatory mandate to determine which airlines operate from Uyo or any other airport in the country.

Essienette said decisions relating to the authorisation, regulation, suspension or approval of airline operations rested with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other operational circumstances.

She insisted that the airline could not prevent another carrier from operating from Uyo if such a carrier met the applicable regulatory and operational requirements and obtained the necessary approvals.

Essienette specifically cited Section 8(3) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, which places the responsibility for the regulation of civil aviation in Nigeria with the NCAA.

She said: “Ibom Air has no authority, mandate or regulatory power to prevent another airline from operating from Uyo, or from any other airport in Nigeria.

“The decision to authorise, regulate, suspend, or otherwise permit an airline’s operations rests with the appropriate aviation regulatory authorities.”

The airline insisted that Ibom Air, such perceptions were misplaced, stressing that being the dominant or home-based airline at an airport did not confer ownership or regulatory control over the facility.

The airline explained that a distinction must be made between an airline independently adjusting its own operations and preventing another carrier from accessing an airport.

It noted that it had, at various times, temporarily suspended operations to destinations including Enugu and Calabar as part of measures to undertake mandatory aircraft maintenance and meet other operational requirements.

According to the airline, such decisions are purely internal operational matters and should not be interpreted as attempts to establish or sustain a monopoly.

The statement noted that operational constraints at an airport, including aircraft availability, fuel logistics, airport infrastructure, scheduling and regulatory requirements, could affect the number or frequency of flights into an airport at a particular point in time.

The airline maintained that the aviation industry was highly regulated and that airlines operated within the framework established by relevant regulatory and airport authorities.

Rather than oppose competition, Essienette said it welcomed the entry and operations of other airlines at the Uyo airport, maintaining that increased competition would ultimately benefit passengers and contribute to the development of the aviation sector in Akwa Ibom and the entire South-South region.