Cally Air

Cally Air is a Nigerian airline associated with the Cross River State Government and based around Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar. Although Calabar is identified as the airline's hub, much of its scheduled activity has been conducted from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, reflecting the concentration of Nigerian domestic air traffic and the operating arrangements used by the brand. The airline commenced operations on 16 July 2021. Its launch was marked by the arrival of a Boeing 737 aircraft, which was received in Calabar by Benedict Ayade, then governor of Cross River State. Ayade described the event as the realization of an initiative that had begun in 2017. The launch positioned Cally Air as a state-backed aviation project intended to improve air connectivity for Cross River State while participating in Nigeria's domestic airline market. Cally Air's business model has relied on third-party operators rather than an independently operated airline structure. Its flights have been operated by Aero Contractors, a Nigerian airline. Cally Air owns or controls aircraft used under its brand, while Aero Contractors has also used Cally Air aircraft for its own domestic operations. The arrangement has been necessary because Cally Air does not hold its own Air Operator's Certificate, or AOC. As a result, operational responsibility and regulatory certification have remained distinct from the Cally Air brand and its aircraft ownership. The fleet initially included two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. In May 2025, the airline added two CRJ 1000 regional jets, expanding the types available for domestic operations. In June 2025, Cally Air hired a new management team to begin the process of obtaining an AOC. During that process, the two CRJ 1000 aircraft were intended to operate under ValueJet, whose Lagos base would provide another operating platform. The planned arrangement indicated a developing transition from a primarily aircraft-and-brand model toward a more formally certified airline operation, although the available reference material does not establish that Cally Air had completed the AOC process. Cally Air's network is domestic and focused on Nigeria. Its hub identity remains tied to Calabar, while Lagos has been an important operating base. The airline's publicly documented fleet and partner arrangements suggest a regional and domestic role rather than an international network. Its positioning is therefore closely connected to public-sector regional connectivity, domestic air travel, and the use of operating partnerships to enter or expand within Nigeria's aviation market. The airline also experienced an operational incident on 12 November 2023, when a Cally Air Boeing 737 operated by Aero Contractors skidded off the runway while landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after arriving from Lagos. The aircraft's nose gear became stuck in soft ground. No serious injuries were reported in the reference material, but the incident temporarily disrupted airport operations and led to delays, diversions, and cancellations while the aircraft was removed. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau opened an investigation into the event. Cally Air remains a state-owned Nigerian airline brand whose development has depended on aircraft acquisition, contracted flight operations, and efforts to establish its own regulatory operating capability. Its public profile is defined more by domestic connectivity and institutional ownership than by international expansion or a broad independent corporate structure.

Cally Air is a Nigerian airline owned by the Cross River State Government. The project was associated with a state ambition to establish stronger air connectivity for Cross River State, with its operational story reaching back to an initiative described at launch as having started in 2017. The airline formally commenced operations on 16 July 2021. A Boeing 737 aircraft was welcomed at Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar by Benedict Ayade, who was then governor of Cross River State. Ayade boarded the aircraft for inspection and presented the launch as the fulfillment of a long-developed aviation plan. Calabar became the airline's designated hub, giving Cally Air a strong geographic and political connection to Cross River State. In practice, the airline's operations have been shaped by Nigeria's aviation infrastructure and by its reliance on external certified operators. Most flights have been conducted from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos rather than exclusively from Calabar. Aero Contractors operates Cally Air flights and has also used Cally Air aircraft in its own domestic operations. This model allowed the brand to participate in scheduled aviation without holding its own Air Operator's Certificate. The distinction between the Cally Air brand and the certified operating carrier is central to understanding its business structure. Cally Air initially had two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. In May 2025, it added two CRJ 1000 aircraft, broadening its fleet with regional jets. The airline then took steps toward developing a more independent operating capability. In June 2025, it hired a new management team to commence the AOC process. The two CRJ 1000 aircraft were expected to operate under ValueJet during this period, with ValueJet providing an operating base in Lagos. The available reference material does not confirm completion of the certification process. The airline's documented activity is domestic, serving the Nigerian market rather than operating an international route network. Its identity combines state ownership, a Calabar hub, Lagos-based operational activity, and partnerships with established Nigerian carriers. This structure reflects a common practical challenge for new airlines: aircraft and a commercial brand can be established before the organization has completed the regulatory and operational requirements for an independent certificate. Cally Air's history also includes a notable safety-related incident. On 12 November 2023, a Cally Air Boeing 737 registered as 5N-BYQ skidded off the runway while landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The aircraft had arrived from Lagos and was being operated by Aero Contractors. Its nose gear became stuck in soft ground. No serious injuries were reported, but the aircraft's position caused substantial short-term disruption, including delays, diversions, and cancellations. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau began an investigation into the cause. By 2025, Cally Air was therefore in a development phase characterized by fleet expansion and an attempt to establish its own regulatory operating foundation. Its continuing role depends on the relationship between the Cross River State Government, Cally Air's management, certified partner airlines, and Nigerian aviation regulators.

• 2025

  CRJ 1000 aircraft added

  [1]Cally Airen.wikipedia.org

  Two CRJ 1000 aircraft were added to the airline's fleet in May 2025.

• 2025

  AOC preparation begins

  [1]Cally Airen.wikipedia.org

  A new management team was hired in June 2025 to begin the process of securing Cally Air's own Air Operator's Certificate.

• 2023

  Boeing 737 runway excursion in Abuja

  [1]Cally Airen.wikipedia.org

  A Cally Air Boeing 737 operated by Aero Contractors skidded off the runway while landing at Abuja on 12 November.

• 2021

  Cally Air commences operations

  [1]Cally Airen.wikipedia.org

  Cally Air began operations on 16 July 2021 with the arrival of a Boeing 737 at Calabar's Margaret Ekpo International Airport.

• 2017

  State airline initiative takes shape

  [1]Cally Airen.wikipedia.org

  At the 2021 launch, the Cross River State governor described the airline as the realization of a project that had begun in 2017.

A state-backed Nigerian domestic airline brand focused on regional connectivity, particularly through its Calabar hub, and delivered through partnerships with certified operating carriers.

• Scheduled air travel · 2021

  Domestic passenger flights

  Cally Air provides branded domestic passenger air services within Nigeria. The airline's hub identity is centered on Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, while many flights have operated from Lagos. The services are conducted through certified partner airlines rather than solely by an independently certified Cally Air operation.

• Narrow-body passenger aircraft · 2021

  Boeing 737-300 operations

  Cally Air's initial documented fleet included two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. These aircraft supported the airline's domestic passenger identity and were operated by Aero Contractors under the partnership model used by Cally Air.

• Regional passenger aircraft · 2025

  CRJ 1000 operations

  Two CRJ 1000 regional jets were added in May 2025. They represent a fleet expansion toward smaller regional aircraft and were intended to operate under ValueJet while Cally Air pursued its own Air Operator's Certificate.

• 2025

  Pursuit of an independent Air Operator's CertificateStrategy

  Background

  Cally Air did not hold its own Air Operator's Certificate and relied on partner airlines to operate its flights.

  Action taken

  The airline hired a new management team in June 2025 to begin the AOC process, while planning to place its two CRJ 1000 aircraft under ValueJet during the process.

  Aftermath

  The available reference material confirms the start of the process but does not establish that the certificate had been granted.

  Source

• 2025

  Fleet expansion with CRJ 1000 aircraftOther

  Background

  Cally Air's documented fleet had consisted of two Boeing 737-300 aircraft.

  Action taken

  The airline added two CRJ 1000 aircraft in May 2025.

  Aftermath

  The additions expanded the aircraft types available to the airline and supported its planned operating arrangements with ValueJet.

  Source

1. 1Cally Airen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cally Air official websiteflycally.com