By Jonathan Ugbal
Nigeria’s former top spy, Ekpenyong Ita has written the management of Max Air limited to add the Calabar aviation route in it’s operations.
Mr. Ita who retired in 2015 as Director General of Nigeria’s secret police, the SSS in a letter sighted by CrossRiverWatch and dated January 13, addressed to Max Air Chairman, Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal urged the airline to expand it’s domestic operations to Calabar.
“This would enhance the quality of flight operations and further boost the confidence of passengers to and from the state who are often faced with challenges of delays and other related poor services,” Ita wrote.
He continued: “I assure you the calabar route will be very viable for your operations, as a tourism destination your touch of class and exceptional professionalism would also be readily welcomed by the teaming passengers.”
If the deal goes through, Calabar will be the 13th city Max Air operates from. The airline currently operates in 12 cities including Abuja, Bauchi, Benin, Jos, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Maiduguri, Owerri, PortHarcourt, Sokoto and Yola.
It’s fleet comprises of three Boeing 747s and three Boeing 737s.
Two airlines currently ply the Calabar – Abuja (CBQ-ABV) and Calabar – Lagos (CBQ-LOS) routes. They are Allen Onyema’s Air Peace and the Akwa Ibom State owned Ibom Air.
Both airlines operate one flight per day in each route while news of the commencement of the Cross River State owned Cally Air is awaited following an exclusive by this newspaper which revealed that the State had procured two Boeing 737-300 aircrafts.
Air Peace relies heavily on its Boeing 737s for the Calabar route while Ibom Air uses it’s Bombardier CRJ-90 jets.