NEW PORT HARCOURT AIRPORT TO BE COMMISSIONED NEXT YEAR – DUNOMA

Cross-section of Management staff 

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, has expressed the hope that the new Port Harcourt International Airport terminal and the remodelled old terminal would be commissioned in 2016. He made this remark on October 29, 2015 when he paid a working visit to the airport to supervise the on-going construction works at the airport. This is according to a statement signed by the  General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Yakubu Dati .

“It would be recalled that the Federal Government has embarked on an ambitious project of constructing five new international terminals at the nation’s five international airports including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

Engr Dunoma, accompanied by Engr. Ogunode Olufemi, Director of Maintenance and Engineering, Capt. Henry Omeogu, Director of Airport Operations and other top officials of the Authority, was conducted around the new projects at the airport by the Regional Manager, South South/South East, Dr. (Mrs) Anne Egbadon-Enyinnaya and the Port Harcourt Airport Manager, Engr. Chigbo Nwobu.”

The statement further explained that while on the working tour to the airport, the FAAN boss noted that this laudable project has obviously created some discomfort to the travelling public and other airport users. Nonetheless, he assured the public that the situation was under control as FAAN was doing everything possible to proffer solution to the challenges faced by all airport users, within the shortest time possible.

He craved the indulgence of the general public while the construction works would last at the new ultramodern international terminal and the remodelled old terminal, which would be commissioned simultaneously in 2016; noting that the project would increase capacity and ensure delivery of efficient services at world-class standards and best practice as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.

 He also assured the general public that FAAN would continue to upgrade facilities at the nation’s airports to ensure security, safety and comfort of all airport users.

Nigerian Airports—Sorry, We Are Renovating… Yakubu Dati

Yakubu Dati, GM Corporate Affairs FAAN

Last year, when some Nigerian newspapers enthusiastically carried a report by an online site curiously named Sleeping in Airports  and its so-called report ,‘Best Airports To Sleep in’, which gave low marks to Nigerian airport based on sleep parameters, we made it clear that almost all these airports were under renovation.

 

Surprisingly, this year again, one or two of these newspapers are once more, bothering themselves and indeed, other Nigerians,  about  this same website which has, again, committed the fallacy of putting airports  under reconstruction under its radar. As a matter-of-fact, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Bello recently emphasized this point when she said that our major airports are all very much under renovation, therefore, we cannot expect to get the best from them in terms of services at this time.

 

For us at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, the same reasons which made last year’s rating of Nigerian airports by this website absurd, are still the same reasons why the obviously unserious website that caters to extreme tastes, is yet out on a limb, this year.

 

Perhaps, aware that major Nigerian international and domestic airports  have been undergoing  structural changes under the Re-modelling/Rehabilitation Programme for the past three years, the so-called ‘ Sleeping in Airports’ yet included Nigeria, simply because, its report would  not amount to much and pass unnoticed without the inclusion of Nigerian airports.

It bears restating that, technically and aesthetically, all our international airports (which were named in the report) and many others around the country have improved dramatically in terms of infrastructure and passenger comfort.

 

Take for example, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA1 in Lagos, where the lounge area space has been expanded to at least, three times its original size, last year. The airport is not a five star hotel and therefore not designed for sleeping. The immigration processing desk has been increased from 8 counters to 44, enabling faster processing. In addition, new passenger handling conveyors systems have been installed enabling the airport to handle 1,000 passengers per hour, currently!

 

These remarkable capacity improvements have been made to this over 40 year old airport, in order to improve service delivery and the comfort of passengers, while the new, state-of-the art, international airport terminal is under construction, nearby.

 

Gleefully, the website describes the Port Harcourt International Airport as “the dirtiest and most corrupt airport in Africa”. Moreover, any major construction site anywhere in the world would have Knicks and knacks of construction waste. So, what was different about the Port Harcourt terminal?

 

It may appear that sleeping In Airports had already made up its mind to scandalize the country’s airports as a way of giving their report a much wider mileage than it deserves.

 

The website can best be described as targeted at a back-packing carrying yippie or Western ‘gypsy’-like audience whose whims are now being mainstreamed by the unwarranted attention

given Sleeping In Airports and its tasteless report by our respected newspapers. 

Our stand therefore, is that the said ranking is unfounded, as it did not take cognisance of the fact that, the Port Harcourt Airport terminal in particular, was still undergoing re-modelling with some of its terminal operations still conducted in a temporary structure (tent). Apart from the on-going re-modelling of the existing domestic terminal, from which both international and local flight operations are conducted, construction work is also in progress at the site of the new international terminal, among other projects at the airport. 

We sincerely believe that operations at such an airport, where construction work is going on simultaneously with normal flight and related operations, cannot be as conducive as those in airports where there are no on-going construction projects. Neither can environments at such different scenarios be equally “clean”.

For all intents and purposes, this so-called survey falls far, far below the standard of a technical audit. That is not to say however, that a satisfactory customer experience at our airports is not desirable. Indeed several strategies including training performance monitoring, collaboration with ICPC are being adjusted to improve customer experience at our airport.

 

 

The high technical and safety standards of our airports are not in doubt. To confirm what we already know, Nigerian airports recently passed the Category One re-Certification audit conducted by the US Federal Aviation Authority, FAAN which is one of the most rigorous aerospace/airport audits in the world. This, I must say, is a major achievement.

 

Yet in spite of this, even before the likes of that aviation website began its reports, the repair and restructuring of the country’s airports had become an issue of urgent national attention. And as you probably all know, the deplorable state of our airports then, prompted the launch of the Airport Re-modelling and Rehabilitation programme in 2012, which is on-going.

 

Although there is tremendous pressure on the various contractors to complete all ongoing airport projects in good time, the situation becomes more challenging for these contractors since most of these airports are still in use, during the various re- construction projects.

Yakubu Dati,  General Manager of Corporate Affairs, FAAN writes from Lagos 

Arik Air raises frequency on Lagos- Douala route

Arik Air has   announced  increase in frequency on the Lagos to Douala via Cotonou route from four to six weekly flights.

According to the airline through a statement, “the new schedule which took effect on October 11, 2015 is aimed at further enhancing connectivity in the West Coast. The flights from Lagos to Douala via Cotonou and back will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Outbound flights from Lagos will depart at 11:15am, arrive Cotonou at 11:45am, depart Cotonou at 12:30pm and arrive Douala at 2:00pm. Inbound flights will depart Douala at 2:45pm, arrive Cotonou at 4:15pm, leave Cotonou at 5:00pm and arrive Lagos at 5:30pm.”

“The new schedule allows passengers to conveniently connect to these destinations with the advantage Arik Air’s extensive domestic and regional network provides. It also provides convenient connections to some of the airline’s international destinations such as New York.”

Commenting on the new schedule, Managing Director of Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue said: “Nigeria and Cameroun share a lot in common as good neighbours and Arik Air is always happy to provide connections needed to foster closer relationships and promote trade”.

Arik Air is the only airline flying six times a week from Lagos to Douala via Cotonou and vice versa.

SAHCOL PROVIDES SERVICES TO SAA IN ABUJA

The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), has been named by South African Airways as a preferred Ground Handler in its Abuja operations. This is according to statement from SAHCOL through its General Manager , Corporate Communications, Mr. Basil Agboarumi.

“This award kicks off the beginning of another long standing relationship between SAHCOL and South African Airways (SAA), in providing seamless services to the airline.

By this contract, SAHCOL shall once again have the single privilege of providing fast and expedient ground handling services to the SAA operations in Abuja, in the areas of Passenger, Ramp and Cargo Handling services.”

Furthermore, SAHCOL said to date, it has successfully established a very strong market presence in the Domestic and International aviation industry, with its unmatched expertise in providing exceptional passenger, ramp and cargo/warehousing services.

“SAHCOL at the moment has become a reference point where the efficacy of a successful flight is born, having implemented structures/ procedures in line with international best practices, leading to expedient and speedy delivery of Aviation Ground Handling services to all its customers.

The new structures and procedures made South African Airlines to opt for SAHCOL handling expertise at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after its operation in Nigeria for several years.

No doubt, after the takeover of SAHCOL by the SIFAX Group in December, 2009, after which the Ground Handling Company became an ISAGO certified operator, SAHCOL has continued to expand and gain credibility of Domestic and International airlines operating within and into Nigeria.”

The current face of SAHCOL is witnessing massive deployment of modern state-of-the-art Ground Support Equipment (GSE), infrastructural development and trainings, geared towards its goal of meeting and exceeding customers’ expectations.

SAHCOL is an Aviation Ground Handling company, offering services in Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling and Warehousing, Aviation security, Baggage Reconciliation, Crew Bus and Executive Lounge services and other related Ground Handling services; while ensuring that Ground Handling assignment is carried out in an efficient, speedy and safe manner, by deploying appropriate tools.