Despite the COVID 19 Pandemic and its impact on the aviation industry, Cally Air, a Nigerian-based startup airline, has begun commercial flights between Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar. The flights will start using a B737-300, registered 5N-BYQ (MSN 30334). This will be the first Commercial flight of Cally Airlines.
According to Flightradar24, the inaugural flight took place on July 15, departing from Lagos and arriving in Abuja. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja was buzzing on Thursday when Cally Air, a commercial airliner from Cross River State, landed for the first time.
According to Nigerian news outlets, the plane was greeted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, by Ben Ayade, the governor of the Nigerian state of Cross River, who boarded the plane for inspection and hailed the event as the realization of a dream that began in 2016.
Although the ticket prices are relatively higher than other airways, He expressed optimism that Cally Air would help to boost tourism in Cross River State, which is located on Nigeria’s Atlantic Ocean coast and shares a border with Cameroon.
“This marks the commencement of the state of Cross River’s liberation and total independence from the government.” the governor remarked, congratulating all the people. Cally Air, in my opinion, is the start of the privatization process that will eventually result in the creation of a private sector that has never been before”.