New Nigerian airline emerges from Dana Air and government partnership

Ayade said in a press conference held in Calabar that Cally Air was part of his government's bid to encourage tourism to the state, situated along Nigeria's border with Cameroon and its Atlantic Ocean front and would be managed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with Dana Group, a consortium of Indian investors. He said the airline when it starts would serve Obudu, Abuja and Lagos from its Calabar base.

Speaking when he led the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Dana Group, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani to the site of Dana’s Calabar Pharmaceutical Company under construction, Governor Ayade said Cross River was creating new platforms, new business opportunities that would open a fresh horizon for young people to exploit.
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We have our own state’s aircraft, which Dana has agreed to do a detailed technical study of. The aircraft is in Aero Contractor’s fleet in Lagos. As soon as that is done, we will finalise to get the aircraft in the air. Once that is done, it is going to be written completely as “Cally Air. So, it will be flying Calabar, Obudu, Lagos and of course, Abuja. We are in a haste to get Cally Air started. Calabar will have its own airline in partnership with Dana as its technical operator. We have also reached a point where we will be signing up on that deal,” said Ayade.
Cross River State has a Dash 8-200 5N-GRS and Ayade says the airline will make its inaugural flight in November, 2016.

In his remarks, Dana’s Hathiramani said: “My company is very impressed with what Ayade is doing to transform the state in terms of investment and we are committed to ensuring the success of the partnership.”
Dana’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Ezenwa told African Aerospace that his airline was committed to the success of the partnership and that arrangements were on to ensure commencement of the new airline. He however said that full details of the deal would be made public at the appropriate time.
Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, operating over 27 daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Owerri and Uyo. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, world- class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high safety and quality standards
 

Pictured: Dana’s Hathiramani