Azman Air clarifies aircraft transponder incident, denies smuggling allegations

Azman Air has refuted claims of smuggling its aircraft to Iran and deliberately switching off the transponder during a flight. The airline emphasized that the alleged incident involved a technical fault, which was properly documented and reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

In a statement issued by the airline’s Accountable Manager, Muhammad AbdulManaf, Azman Air clarified that the aircraft in question was undergoing routine maintenance checks in Iran, not involved in any illegal activity. AbdulManaf expressed surprise at the allegations, labeling them as baseless and lacking factual backing.

“Our aircraft went on a routine maintenance C-Checks, which is due after every 18 months. I’m really shocked to hear that we smuggled our aircraft to Iran. Is it a cow that can be smuggled? The story is fake and lacks any facts.

“There is a clear guideline from the NCAA on selling and deregistering aircraft from our AOC. Unless that is done, the aircraft is still under our control. The NCAA has not received any document or correspondence from Azman in that regard.

“The transponder developed a fault en route to the destination airport, which was logged and filed in the tech log and submitted to the NCAA.”

Addressing the transponder issue, AbdulManaf explained that it developed a fault during the flight to Iran, which was documented in the technical log and submitted to the NCAA. He reiterated that the aircraft remains under the airline’s operational control, with no attempt made to bypass regulatory protocols.

The controversy stems from reports by a foreign media outlet alleging that two Azman Air aircraft were secretly sold to Iran’s Mahan Air and deregistered without the NCAA’s knowledge. The report also claimed the crew switched off the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder at 39,000 feet while entering Iranian airspace.

Azman Air dismissed the report as misinformation, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and compliance with international aviation regulations. The NCAA has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.

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