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Lufthansa, other foreign airlines to rescind no flight decision to Kaduna-Minister
*Airport gets new facilities, commercial activities pick up
Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika today said that some foreign airlines that hitherto said they would avoid services to Kaduna Airport are now re-considering their stance.
He disclosed Lufthansa German Airlines has expressed the desire to fly to Kaduna as alternate airport to Abuja which was closed yesterday for repair work on the runway.
The Minister said this during inspection of facilities ahead of flight operations to the aerodrome and the welcoming of Ethiopian Airline that arrived the airport at about 11.50am yesterday.
Before now, carriers like Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France-KLM and some others said they would not operate to the area. They however refused to state reasons for their refusal to operate to Kaduna.
British Airways on the other hand said due to logistic problem, it would cease flights to Kaduna until work on the Abuja airport is concluded.
The Kaduna airport has worn a new look just as commercial activities have picked up tremendously in the once almost dead airport that before now recorded less than eight flights a day.
More facilities like a new terminal building, instrument landing equipment like the Localiser, VHF Omni Directional Radio Range (VOR). It is a type of short-range navigation system for aircraft enabling aircraft with a receiving unit to determine their position and stay on course by receiving radio signals transmitted by a network of fixed ground radio beacons.
Also installed is Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and others. DME refers to combined radio navigation station for aircraft, which consists of two radio beacons, placed together, a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) and distance measuring equipment (DME).
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dream Liner was welcomed to a ceremonial water shower in Kaduna, to flag off the beginning Abuja-bound flights diversion and closure of Abuja airport.
Ethiopian Airlines, which is the largest in Africa, had pledged to fly to Kaduna at a time foreign legacy carriers rejected the option, citing security and logistic concerns.
Welcoming the airline and during the rounding off inspection of the new terminal, the Minister said the foreign airlines, except Ethiopian airlines, rejected the Kaduna offer because they were unware of the level of investment and state of the airport currently.
According to him, “I told Lufthansa in Frankfurt and British Airways that we are in the time of need but not stupid to close down Abuja and open Kaduna. It bothers on safety.
“My annoyance was that none of them came to Kaduna to inspect the airport to see what we have or don’t have. If they had done so, I would have provided for them what they need.
“Ethiopian Airlines are here today because they came here to inspect. They said, well, your fire cover is Category 7, you need to upgrade to Category 9. They said also ‘your tower is obstructed where it is, is not fair enough, bring in the mobile tower. And I said done, to prove to them that we are ready to back them.”
Sirika added that the foreign airlines, however, came on March 1 to inspect the Kaduna and began to have a change of mind.
“They visited Kaduna and saw the amount of work done. They saw the airfield lighting, runway markings and other we have done. They saw the general ambiance of the security.
“They saw all these and said they will reconsider, sending reports to their headquarters. Most of them have called us that they have considered. One of the airlines (Lufthansa) has said that they will begin next week,” he said.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said given the level of investment already deployed to Kaduna, “it is better for the airlines and also for commercial reasons, to operate from here.”
“We would have love that they should come. We appreciate the fact that some of them are as supportive as they can. None coming of the legacy carriers puts a damp on our investment, for us to be able to recoup the investment,” he said.
Akinkuotu, on conducting reporters round the facility, said enormous fund had been committed to the facilities and also to keep them running, with backup for each to ensure seamless services
