The first delivery came two years after the airline sealed a
deal with Airbus at the Dubai Airshow in November 2021.
In a statement announcing the delivery on Friday, the
company’s Group Manager, Marketing and Communication, Aniekan Essienette, said
the handover was done at Airbus’ Mirabel facility in Canada.
The ceremony was attended by top officials of the airline,
including its CEO, Mfon Udom. The immediate-past governor of the state, Udom
Emmanuel, whose tenure the company was established, was also in attendance.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the airline’s CEO, Mr
Udom said, “The introduction of the Airbus A220-300 to our fleet is a
game-changing leap forward for Ibom Air. The decision to invest in a fleet of
highly efficient brand-new aircraft to power our growth plans underscores our
determination to offer no less than world-class airline services to our valued
customers.”
Ibom Air, which currently has seven aircraft (five
Bombardier CR900 and two Airbus A220-300) in its fleet, flies 11 routes
spanning six cities in the country including, the nation’s capital, Abuja, and
Nigeria’s commercial city, Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt.
The airline, which started commercial operations in 2019,
has become one of the most top rated in Nigeria’s airspace, garnering several
awards, including best airline of the year for three consecutive years – 2020,
2021 and 2022.
Earlier in the year, the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) awarded the airline a safety certification.
As part of its expansion drive, the airline, in October,
launched its first African sub-regional flight, touching down in the West
African country, Ghana.
With the arrival of the new aircraft, the airline is
expected to expand its operations to other West and Central African countries.
The Akwa Ibom State Government, as part of the efforts for
the smooth take-off of the Ibom Air’s international flight operations, on 28
May, commissioned an International Terminal, Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul
(MRO) facility, a new taxiway and an apron extension to cater for the
anticipated influx of people at the airline hub – Victor Attah International
Airport in Uyo.