Nigeria’s Ibom Air expects to launch regional flights by the end of 2022

Nigeria’s domestic airline Ibom Air expects to commence regional operations outside Nigeria by the end of 2022.

According to a press statement posted on twitter, the news was announced by the airline’s chief operating officer George Uriesi during the celebration of its third year of scheduled commercial flight operations, held in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria on June 7, 2022. This marks the airline’s first regional services since its incorporation in June 2019.

On June 7, 2019, Ibom Air commenced its scheduled commercial flight operations with an inaugural domestic flight from Uyo to Lagos.

The airline currently operates flights to seven domestic destinations in Nigeria – Abuja, Calabar, Enugu, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Yenagoa.

Domestic operations are served by a fleet of seven aircraft, consisting of five Bombardier CRJ900 and two Airbus A220-300s.

However, the airline is keen to expand its fleet to bolster its domestic schedule and soon-to-start regional operations.

“Aggressive growth plan”
In November 2021, the airline signed an agreement with Airbus at the Dubai Airshow to acquire 10 Airbus A220s. The decision to expand its fleet with Airbus’s A220s followed a one-year testing period where the airline wet-leased two A220s from EgyptAir.

In a press statement regarding Ibom Air’s agreement with Airbus, published on November 16, 2021, the airline dubbed the A220 as the “right choice right choice for its domestic and regional aspirations”.

“Working in collaboration with the Airbus team, Ibom Air took an innovative approach to making the choice of the A220,” the statement continued.

“The airline started by wet-leasing two (2) A220s for a year, to test the suitability of the aircraft for their needs. Within 6 months of this process, the airline was able to validate the A220 as the right choice for its domestic and regional aspirations,” the airline said.