Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Founder of Ibom Air, was part of the historic moment in Nigeria’s aviation industry over the weekend. The state marked the delivery of the first of 10 brand new Airbus A220-300 series airplanes, a deal signed during Emmanuel’s tenure in 2021.
Ibom Air, established in 2019 under Udom Emmanuel’s administration, achieved this milestone two years after he led a delegation to the Dubai Air Show on November 16, 2021. During the show, a firm agreement was reached with Airbus for the procurement of 10 new A220-300 series airplanes.
In a subsequent event on Friday in Montreal, Canada, Mr. Emmanuel, along with top management staff of Ibom Air, inspected and received the first aircraft at Airbus’ Mirabel facility. The presentation of the new Airbus aircraft was made by Airbus CEO Benoit Schultz, Vice-President Daniel Wenninger, Head of Airbus A220 Delivery Center Marc Arpin, and Cyrille Picard, Sales Director Middle-East & Africa.
Among the key figures from Ibom Air present were Captain Mfon Udom, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. George Uriesi, the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer.
During the occasion, Mr. Udom Emmanuel highlighted Ibom Air’s significance as the first airline in Nigeria to take delivery of the all-new Airbus A220. He expressed his vision, during his time as Governor, of Ibom Air becoming a prominent player in the West African and African aviation hub, commending Governor Umo Eno for sustaining the state’s aviation development project.
The Airbus A220-300, known for its revolutionary fuel efficiency, cutting-edge technology, and passenger comfort and safety features, is adaptable for short and medium-haul commercial operations with a range of up to seven hours (up to 3,450 nautical miles). This addition to Ibom Air’s fleet positions the airline for expanded services across diverse destinations within the African continent.
Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mfon Udom, expressed great enthusiasm on the arrival of the Airbus A220-300, saying, “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.”
