Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, was among the prominent figures who traveled to Canada for the unveiling of the initial unit from a set of 10 new Airbus A220-300 series airplanes procured by Ibom Air.
During Emmanuel’s tenure, the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, had committed to acquiring 10 new aircraft from Airbus at the Dubai Airshow in 2021.
Established in 2019 under Emmanuel’s administration, Ibom Air’s top management, led by Captain Mfon Udom (Managing Director) and Mr. George Uriesi (Chief Operating Officer), accompanied Emmanuel to inspect and take delivery of the first aircraft at Airbus’ Mirabel facility in Montreal, Canada on a Friday.
The presentation of the new Airbus aircraft was conducted by Benoit Schultz (CEO of Airbus), Daniel Wenninger (Vice-President), Marc Arpin (Head of Airbus A220 Delivery Center), and Cyrille Picard (Sales Director Middle-East & Africa).
Emmanuel expressed pride in Ibom Air being the first Nigerian airline to receive the all-new Airbus A220. He highlighted his vision during his governorship, aiming for Ibom Air’s prominence in the West African and African aviation sector. He commended Governor Pastor Umo Eno for continuing the state’s aviation development project.
The Airbus A220-300 is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, exceptional fuel efficiency, and passenger comfort and safety features. Tailored for short and medium-haul operations with a range of up to seven hours (3,450 nautical miles), the addition of this aircraft to Ibom Air’s fleet positions the airline for expanded services across diverse destinations within Africa.
Mr. Udom expressed great excitement about the arrival of the Airbus A220-300, describing it as a transformative step forward for Ibom Air. He emphasized the commitment to providing world-class airline services, citing the decision to invest in a fleet of highly efficient, brand-new aircraft to power the airline’s growth plans.