Airline startup Cally Air debuts its commercial flights in Nigeria

NIGERIA – Cally Air, a Nigerian-based startup airline, has begun commercial flights between Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar despite the COVID 19 Pandemic and its impact on the aviation industry.

The flights will start using a B737-300, registered 5N-BYQ (MSN 30334). This will be the first Commercial flight of Cally Airlines.

“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”.

The 21-year-old plane, previously known as YL-BBX and operated by airBaltic, is being leased from Magnetic Leasing and is scheduled to arrive on April 28, 2021. For the state’s commercial airline, the planes are equipped with an all-economy 144-seat cabin. The second aircraft arrived just three weeks after the first, which arrived on April 6, 2021.

Cally Air would help to boost tourism in Cross River State, which is located on Nigeria’s Atlantic Ocean coast

This Boeing 737-300, 5N-BYQ, is the airline’s second ex-airBaltic 737-300. Nigerian startup airline Cally Air received its first aircraft five years after its planned debut date. On April 6, the Boeing leased from World Star Aviation arrived in Lagos. The 22-year-old plane, which previously flew for airBaltic and is now registered as 5N-BYR, was greeted by its new operator with a water cannon salute.

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 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.