BA, others shun Kaduna airport over logistic reasons

For logistical reasons, British Airways said that the management of the airline based in London, after taking a far reaching decision would not operate to Kaduna Airport.

The carrier attributed its decision to shun the airport to logistic problems.

The mega carrier would now operate its Abuja flight to Lagos, making it twice daily flights to Lagos, but assured that it would immediately resume operations after the completion of work on the Abuja airport runway that is expected to undergo total overhauling for six weeks, starting from March this year.

This is coming as Lufthansa German Airlines last week said it would not fly to Kaduna airport during the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Country Commercial Manager for British Airways (Nigeria and West Africa), Mr. Kola Olayinka said the decision not to go Kaduna as an alternative airport to Abuja was as a result of lack of inflight catering services, adding that for the carrier to operate to Kaduna, it would need to bring along inbound and outbound meals/food which will prove a burden to the airline.

Aside that, Olayinka listed other constraints to include lack of common user terminals, Information and technology equipment that would supports its operations, fear of baggage loss especially for passengers going beyond London and difficulty of passengers travelling with children.

The airline chief lauded the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika for the stakeholders’ meetings he convened to intimate airlines and other stakeholders on the deterioration of the Abuja airport terminal, adding that the facility poses danger to aircraft and passengers.

He said his explanation helped to douse tension and allowed people to see the desirability of shutting the runway for total rehabilitation. He noted that that is the best way to go, to fix the problem.

He said British Airways had assured the Federal Government that it would return to Abuja immediately after the completion of work on the project.

The shunning of Kaduna airport by foreign carriers has brought to the fore the huge fund that went into remodelling of many of the airports that gulped over N300 billion in 2013.

An expert who spoke to Woleshadare.net said that the remodelling proponent said things associated with safety were left undone.

If the airlines make good their plans to come to Lagos rather than Kaduna, it would put pressure on the existing facilities at the Lagos airport which is in dire need of upgrade.

Experts are suggesting that the Abuja airport, which is regarded as the second busiest airport in Nigeria behind Lagos, has just little passenger traffic below the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Aviation security consultant, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said the country may be in for serious problem because the Lagos airport does not have the facility to handle additional flights of such magnitude.

The Lagos airport does not have enough carousels, avio bridges and capacity for additional traffic.

Ojikutu suggested that for the period when Abuja would be closed to traffic, the Lagos airport should be prepared for intercontinental and continental flights while the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2) should be prepared for regional flights.

He also suggested that the Minna airport should be readied for day operations and Kaduna airport for night operations.

The withdrawal of their services from Kaduna, might lead to huge capacity and influx of passengers to Lagos as seat capacity may not be enough for the teeming passengers, except the carriers change to bigger aeroplane to accommodate the travellers.

Experts said this may also disrupt international travel within that period as many from the Northern parts of Nigeria might put on hold their journeys until the Abuja aerodrome is repaired.

Sirika, had said that the closure of the Abuja airport is proposed to last for six weeks. During the period of closure, Kaduna International Airport shall serve as the alternative.

Following the proposed closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), recently approved N1.1 billion for the repairs of the Kaduna Airport terminal. According to the minister, “the contractor has accepted to work within that six months.”

Sirika had stated that the imperative to shutdown of the airport for a period of six weeks was as a result of negligence in terms of maintenance of the runway by previous governments, adding that this administration with safety and security as its priority, has decided to face the problem head-on.