FG to revive ‘abandoned’ N3 billion airfield lighting
- Ten years faulty taxi-way to get attention
- Airlines lose over N20B yearly
The N3 billion contractual agreements that stalled the installation of very important airfield lighting at 1/8 Left runway of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos would be resolved according to the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma.
The Lagos airport has two runways. The 1/8 Right runway is dedicated to international airline operations because of the length and width of the facility while the 1/8 Left runway is one used by domestic carriers.
Dunoma who was represented by Director of Airport Operations, FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu at FAAN’s second quarter stakeholders’ meeting held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos conference centre disclosed that the project was stalled eight years ago; situation that has caused embarrassment to government and made life difficult for domestic airlines.
He said the Federal Government has revisited the project, adding that the facility would be completed in the next few months.
He noted that the central taxi-way of the Lagos airport runway which was closed ten years ago would be re-opened in three months after.
Dunoma who did not disclose the contractual agreement that led to the abandoning of the project eight years ago, said, “Small contractual issues delayed the project. This facility is very important for airlines and we are doing everything possible to make sure that facility is fixed to save airlines from wastage of fuel.”
The central taxi-way closure of the airport has led to difficulty for domestic airlines. A Taxi-way is a ground path used by aircraft that connects a runway with another area of an airport.
Taxiways are usually made of concrete or asphalt, and much like runway surfaces, are pretty solid – anything from a foot to five feet in thickness.
The 1/8 Left runway had remained without light for over a decade, forcing domestic airlines to bring their operations to a close by 7pm because of lack of light on the runway. They however taxi to a far distant 1/8 Right runway for landing and take-off.
The closest the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) came to rectifying the anomaly was in December 2012 when former spokesman for the agency, Mr. Supo Atobatele described it as “Christmas gift”, following deployment of emergency airfield lighting on the 2.7 km runway.
Not a few believe that the bleeding of Nigerian airlines could be curtailed if all the international airports across the country have facilities to ensure 24 hours operations, which could generate additional N20 billion revenue for the industry.
Experts who spoke to Woleshadarenews said not operating most of the airports in the country cost the airlines enormously, adding that the losses could be over N20 billion annually if they have to put all factors into consideration.
Aside Lagos, Abuja, Kano airports, major airports such across the country do not do 24 hours services and this has caused airlines enormously as their operations end, most times, at 7 pm.
Even at Lagos airport, the runway for domestic operations, popularly referred to as 18/L still do not have facilities for night landings for over 10 years, a situation that makes inbound and outbound flights to choose to land on the other runway for international operations after 7pm, thereby causing the operators so much.
In many parts of the world, it is basic that an airport runway has accompanying airfield and approach lighting, which guides the pilot to land on the runway and also taxi to the apron in the night.
But in Nigeria, some of the airports which received many flights daily do not have airfield lighting, thus limiting operations to such airports.
Also, the economic implications rob off negatively on the airlines because instead of operating three flights daily to some airports they have to operate two times because by 6pm such airports are closed for flights and practically flights could go on for hours into the night if there is airfield lighting.
However, an industry expert who craved anonymity said ideally should be operating for 18 hours daily but some of them are forced to operate for only eight hours, thereby underutilising the capacity.
The expert who worked with one of the leading airlines in Nigeria said that lack of airfield lighting limits operations of airlines in the country from daylight to sunset.
“If the company leased or rented the airplanes, the company has to pay whether it operated it or not. What FAAN knows how to do best is to collect landing fees, parking fees, rents, concession fees and utilities or one due or another from airlines”.
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