Max Air debunks blacklist claim by lessors
Max Air has debunked the claim that it was blacklisted by any lessor, saying that it owns the aircraft in its fleet. A media report (not Daily Independent) had alleged on Wednesday that Max Air and 12 other Nigerian airlines were blacklisted by international lessors over contract breaches.
A statement by Barr. Shehu Wada on Thursday, on behalf of the airline, Max Air stated that it operates Boeing 737 and 747 fleets, which are fully owned by the airline and not leased from anywhere. The airline insisted that it was not in the business of leasing aircraft for its domestic and international operations.
It reiterated that it did not have any aircraft lease agreement with any oranisation, maintaining that it was not indebted to any organization for refusing to pay lessor fee.
It described the media report as damaging to the reputation of the airline and demanded a retraction of the story.
The statement read in part: “We have been briefed and our services retained as solicitors to Max Air Ltd (our client) and we have her instructions to correspond to you on the above referenced subject matter.
“Our client is an indigenous and reputable airline and is registered under the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as air transport services operator and allied matters. Our client, for well over two decades, has maintained consistent lead in air transportation of passengers in the international corridor and major air routes domestically.”
Wada insisted that the content of the publication, as it related to the airline was completely erroneous, misleading, incorrect and particularly offensive.
It lamented that the report affected the business integrity of the airline, while its hard-earned reputable brand was quite distasteful.
The statement added: “We therefore respectfully write to demand an apology from you to our client; and that you retract and delete our client’s name from the erroneous Big Story published on Wednesday 17th July, 2024 regarding our client’s aircraft ownership status; within 24 hours of the receipt of this correspondence by you.
“Our demands should be conspicuously placed on the front page of your publication. Thereafter, we shall perfect our client’s firm instructions to seek redress and claim for damages against you; and this shall be without further recourse to you. We trust that you will see the need to act with dispatch and give the content of this correspondence the required attention it deserves.”
