Dana Air

Foundation and Early Operations

Dana Airlines Limited, operating as Dana Air. was formed as a fully private sector carrier. The airline commenced flight operations on 10 November 2008 and since its inauguration, progressively expanded its route network.

Growth and Milestones

By November 2018, the airline celebrated its 10-year anniversary, remarking on its achievements in employment, service, and domestic route coverage. By its 15-year mark the carrier claimed to have carried "over 36 million passengers" since launch. In 2019, it reported that in its first 11 years, it had flown some 5.4 million passengers.

In July 2018, Dana Air won the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria "Best Customer-Friendly Domestic Airline" award, which the airline cited as recognition of its service and on-time performance.

Codeshare Agreement

In May 2021, Dana Air teamed up with Ibom Air to launch the first-ever domestic airline codeshare agreement by Nigerian air carriers.

Operational Challenges and Regulatory Action

Destinations

Dana Air served the following destinations:

Nigeria

Abuja – Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport

Enugu – Akanu Ibiam International Airport

Incidents and accidents

On 3 June 2012, a Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operating as Flight 0992 crashed into a two-story building at Iju Railway, Ishaga, a suburb of Lagos. All 153 people on the aircraft were killed. Following the crash, all flights by Dana Air were halted by Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

On 7 February 2018, a Dana Air flight landed in Abuja and was taxiing on the runway when one of the emergency exit doors fell off. No casualties resulted from the incident. Passengers claimed that the door rattled throughout the flight. A spokesperson for the airline, however claimed that the door could not have fallen off without a conscious effort by a passenger. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority instituted an investigation into the incident to determine what exactly happened.

On 20 February 2018, a Dana Air MD-83 with registration 5N-SRI veered off the runway at Port-Harcourt international airport during a night landing. There were no casualties, but the aircraft suffered significant damage. Both the airline and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria stated that the cause of the accident was inclement weather as there was torrential rain at the time of the landing.

On 23 April 2024, Dana Air Flight 0352, a MD-82 registered 5N-BKI, skidded off the runway while landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. None of the 83 people on board were injured, but the aircraft was severely damaged.