Akwa State-owned airline, Ibom Air has taken delivery of two new bombardier CRJ 900 Next-Gen aircraft to boost both domestic and regional operations.
The two new aircraft are registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE respectively
Speaking at the official delivery of the aircraft at Obong Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo on Friday (yesterday, November 1), the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, said the addition of the 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 as a progressive State in Nigeria.
Responding, Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air Mr. Mfon Udom emphasized the importance of the two jets 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 enthused.
He explained that the two new CRJ 900s are 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,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, a statement signed by the Ibom Air’s General Manager , Communication and Marketing, Aniekan Essienette and made available to journalists in Uyo has assured of the reliability of the new aircraft .
The statement reads :”Like other members of the CRJ Series family of aircraft, the light weight and advanced aerodynamics of the CRJ900 Next-Gen regional jet combine to deliver improved efficiency and reduced operating costs compared to other aircraft in its class. Since the launch of the earlier-generation CRJ900 aircraft, enhancements to the CRJ900 NextGen 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”.
