Eight years after collapse, FAAN mull free Wifi for Lagos airport

Eight years after the collapse of Wi-Fi services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is mulling plans to re-install the facility at the airport terminal.

Communication giant, Glo, had, a few years ago, entered into a pact with FAAN for the provision of the facilities at the terminal at a cost many considered exorbitant to be sustained as many of them preferred to use their personal Wi-fi, which they considered expensive with epileptic service.

Shortly after the instalment, the system collapsed and the airport became one of the few in the world without Wifi.

A source told our correspondent that airports are like miniature cities with shopping malls, restaurants and hotels, stressing that they also have the same need as cities, to improve internal efficiency with a secure and IoT enabled Wi-Fi network.

Demand for Wi-Fi is driving the improvements in public places, as people say getting connected is more important than most things in their lives.

According to a recent study by Wi-Fi network provider iPass, 40 per cent of respondents say Wi-Fi is indispensable. It’s “their number one daily essential,” iPass said.

The airport manager, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba who announced this at this year’s customer service week organised by the Customer Service Department, FAAN, said the provision of the free WiFi was part of the innovation introduced to improve on its service delivery.

According to Shin-Aba, MMIA will continue to work towards improving customer satisfaction calling on all to be involved in order to achieve the best for the overall development of the industry.

The MMIA Airport Manager while stressing the importance of service delivery announced that henceforth, all On Duty Card applicants at the airport will undergo training, orientation and lectures on aviation culture for all to be on the same page before they are issued the ODC.

According to Shin-Aba, these changes will ensure that excellent service was provided for customers adding that feedback from customers have made the organization to correct their lapses.

While acknowledge challenges associated with its facilities at the airport, Shin-Aba said the organisation was working tirelessly to replace obsolete facilities.

In her speech at the occasion, the general manager customer service/SERVICOM, Mrs. Ebele Okoye said the organisations are known for their consistent, good customer relations.

Okoye called on personnel of agencies to be above average at all times in order to be consistent and predictable adding that airports in the country must give above average service to attract customer loyalty.

She sued for co-operation among FAAN workers and stakeholders at the airport to ensure that everyone was carried along.

Okoye said servicom department has been able to open a complaint help desk across the airports with well-trained officers, providing professional uniform for all staff of the department for easy identification by customer.

She also explained that service delivery local taskforce team at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Benin airports to ensure service compliant with the airport.

According to her, the taskforce was created out of the numerous complaints from customers on the general attitude of stakeholders and other airport workers who do not meet the global acceptable standards. But after years of promoting Wi-Fi as a passenger service, why the sudden change of heart?

Speaking as a passenger himself, Pickford suggested that one reason airports will charge for higher speed service is that we now travel with more powerful gadgets that also consume more data.