FAAN to close Abuja airport runway again

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria on Tuesday announced that the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport would be closed for another 30 hours in order to rehabilitate its remaining section.

The agency had earlier announced the re-opening of the runway, which was closed for 30 hours between Saturday night and Monday morning.

The Coordinating General Manager, Public Affairs, Aviation Parastatals, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said the second rehabilitation exercise would commence on Saturday, July 12 to Monday, July 14, 2014.

Dati, in a statement on Tuesday said, “The runway of the NAIA, which was closed for 30 hours for rehabilitation on July 5, 2014, has been re-opened for flight operations. Reports from pilots, who have used the runway so far, indicate that the rehabilitation of a section of the runway was professionally executed and would enhance safety of flight operations on the runway.

“The second phase of the rehabilitation of the remaining section of the runway would take place for another 30 hours at the weekend between Saturday, July 12, (2300 UTC) and Monday, July 14 (0500 UTC), 2014.”

He said a notice to airmen to this effect had already been sent to all aircraft pilots and other relevant stakeholders.

Dati said, “The runway rehabilitation is being done in two phases to minimise the inconvenience the runway closure would have on air passengers and aircraft operators if it was carried out at once.

“The authority regrets the inconvenience the second closure of the runway, within one week, would cause passengers and other stakeholders. We wish to assure the public and all aviation stakeholders that the conclusion of the maintenance work on the runway would guarantee enhanced flight safety on the Abuja airport runway.”

Airline operators and stakeholders in the sector had called for the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, as they decried the huge revenue losses they suffered as a result of the closure of the airport’s only runway.

Domestic airline operators at the NAIA had told our correspondent on Monday that over 60 flights could not make it into and out of Abuja for the period that the runway was closed initially.

It was learnt that foreign airliners like Air France, British Airways, KLM, Ethiopian Airline and a few others had to re-route or cancel their flights to and from Abuja during the period.

The President, National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers, Mr. Isaac Balami, told our correspondent that it was wrong for a country like Nigeria to have just one runway at the NAIA

He said, “That a country as big as Nigeria with over 160 million people, in this 21st century, and considering our GDP and the size of our economy in Africa, that we have only one runway in our capital city is unacceptable. It is very wrong.

“Yes, it is capital intensive but there is a need for us to prioritise. Because what this means is that one day, Mr. President will be coming in to land in Abuja and they will say he cannot land and he will have to land in a close airport to the FCT and drive to the Villa by road.

PUNCH