Yemenia Airways announced on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, a series of sweeping administrative changes in the ground services sector at Aden International Airport, following an incident in which a passenger stair vehicle collided with the wing of one of its aircraft, temporarily grounding it for technical repairs.

According to a decision issued by the airline’s Chairman, Nasser Mahmoud, Ihab Mohammed Abdelqader was appointed as Executive Director of Yemenia Ground Services in Aden, with Muneer Mohammed Kanji as his deputy. Additionally, Fahmi Mohammed Ahmed was assigned to manage the Aden station, and Ahmed Nasser Al-Alwani was appointed to oversee station affairs.

The company stated that the changes were prompted by repeated failures and poor performance by the previous team. The recent incident caused significant technical damage to the aircraft, which is especially critical given that the airline currently operates a limited fleet of just three aircraft, after losing several during the war.

Yemen’s Minister of Transport, Abdulsalam Saleh Humaid, also issued additional decisions, including the appointment of a new director for Aden Airport, as part of broader efforts to “correct dysfunctions at air gateways” and enhance leadership efficiency.

The incident sparked widespread criticism on social media, with users expressing frustration over mismanagement and technical negligence , and calling for accountability and measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.