NIGERIA: Abuja Airport Reopens After Repairs

Ethiopian Airlines flew their Airbus A350-900 – the continent’s first – for the first time on Tuesday. The first trip of the plane on the Addis Ababa – Abuja route was to coincide with the reopening of the Abuja airport.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Nigeria’s administrative capital, Abuja, was closed to air traffic six weeks ago to allow works on the damaged runway. The formal reopening was done today (April 18, 2017).

Ethiopian Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked about their relationship with Nigeria; “As a veteran Pan-African airline, it has always been our source of pride to connect our beloved continent Africa together and beyond.

Our presence in Nigeria dates back to the 1960’s, same time the Federal Republic of Nigeria got independence from foreign colonization. We have always given our best to Nigeria at all times, both at good and challenging times, and we have been part of Nigeria’s historic growth and always consider ourselves as vital partners in the history and growth of Nigeria as a country, he added.

That moment when flyethiopian Airbus A350 landed at rehabilitated Abuja Airport; reopened 24 hours before the schedule time.

About the Airbus A350-900

The manufacturer defines the A350-900 as ‘‘the cornerstone member of Airbus’ all-new A350 XWB Family, which is shaping the future of medium, long and ultra-long haul travel.’‘

The plane accommodates 325 passengers in a standard three-class configuration, and it boasts of its comfort offer for passengers. It also has Wi-Fi and mobile phone connectivity as a means of allowing passengers to ‘stay-up-to-date with the world below.’

It is to be recalled that Ethiopian has been the first in Africa to own and operate the A350 in African skies. Among a total of 14 orders, Ethiopian currently has three of them in operation.

Due to the closure of the Abuja airport, Kaduna airport – located in the country’s north served as the main international airport for Africa’s most populous nation. Incidentally Ethiopian was the first airline to land in Kaduna on the temporary arrangement.

The Kaduna airport is located about 160 km (100 miles) north of the capital, the government during the six-week closure, gave passengers traveling between Abuja and Kaduna free bus and train services.

Abuja’s Airport handled an estimated 5,000 domestic flights in December alone, it is Nigeria’s second busiest airport aside Lagos. The repair works which cost some $18m was executed by construction firm Julius Berger.

NIGERIA: Medview To Fly From Maiduguri And Yola To Kaduna Airport

Medview Airline has said that with the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from March 7 to April 18, 2017 for the rehabilitation of the runway, all its flights to Maiduguri and Yola will be routed through the Kaduna airport.

The airline also said that the departure and arrival time for the flights as well as flights originating from Lagos would remain unchanged and that there would be five daily flights on the route.

“Medview Airline has rolled out a special schedule with five daily flights from Lagos to Kaduna International Airport. The flight schedule will be operational on March 8, 2017, a day after the Abuja airport has been closed.

With the schedule, all Medview Airline flights to Maiduguri and Yola will be routed through the Kaduna airport, but their departure and arrival times remain unchanged as well as flights originating from Lagos,” the airline said in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Obuke Oyibotha.


The Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, was quoted to have sid the schedule was a proactive measure taken to ensure that all its passengers going to Maiduguri and Yola had a seamless transition to their various destinations, while flying Abuja-bound passengers to Kaduna.

He said the airline had put in place all the necessary logistics to cope with the traffic expected at the Kaduna airport.
“This is a call to duty and we are equally duty bound to render uninterrupted services to air travellers on all our routes,” Bankole stated.

NIGERIA: Kaduna Airport Ready For Flights, Says Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has announced that the Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna, KIAK, is now fit and ready for a 24-hour operation.

Sam Adurogboye, General Manager Public Affairs of NCAA, said in Lagos on Tuesday that the airport was ready for local and international flights.

Mr. Adurogboye explained that all necessary steps to ensure that the status of the airport as an alternative airport to the Abuja International Airport during the closure had been taken.

The Federal Government had announced the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, effective from midnight of Wednesday to allow for extensive repairs on the runway.

The NCAA official assured all passengers of safety and security in all airports in the country.

“The navigational aids have been well calibrated and fully functional to facilitate continuous smooth landings and takeoffs.

“Therefore, towards seamless flight operations in line with Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) all relevant departments and directorates with full complement of staff have been redeployed to Kaduna.”

Adurogboye said the Regional Managers of NCAA for Abuja and Kaduna offices were on ground to allow for smooth integration of the additional staff coming to Kaduna.

He said to sustain the safety and security of airline operations, a team of Aviation Safety Inspectors, ASI, from the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards, DAWS, had already moved to the airport.

Mr. Adurogboye said the Directorate of Consumer Protection, DCP, Directorate of Air Transport Regulations, DATR, Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standard, DAAS, and Aviation Security Personnel were already at the airport.

The official named other agencies deployed as NCAA, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Customs and Exercise, and Nigerian Immigration Service.

Mr. Adurogboye said that a National Security Committee had been designed and approved for the security programme to cover the airport and its environs during the six weeks closure.

He noted that at the commencement of flights, the Ethiopian Airlines would be the first scheduled airline to arrive the Kaduna airport upon the closure of Abuja airport.

NIGERIA: Abuja Airport Closing For Six Weeks, International Airlines Reject Kaduna As Not Safe For Flights

Hardly 24 hours to the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport 9NAIA), Abuja for total rehabilitation of its runway, foreign airlines have continued to shun the alternate airport, Kaduna, insisting the airport is not safe for flight operations.

This is coming as local carriers jostle to increase their frequencies to Kaduna Airport in order to capture more passengers on the route pending the complete renovation of the Abuja runway.

Virtually all the foreign airlines spoken to by our correspondent said that they won’t relocate their operations to Kaduna despite the appeal of the Federal Government for them to do so.

The Airlines said that they have already informed the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika that they would be suspending operations to Abuja the moment it is shut for total rehabilitation. For instance, British Airways in a statement signed by its Regional Commercial Manager West Africa, Mr. Kola Olayinka said that the airline considered several factors before deciding not to fly to Kaduna Airport.

The statement reads: “‘I can confirm that BA will not be operating to Kaduna during the planned closure of the Abuja Airport. “Many factors were considered before this decision was reached, major ones are concern about the safety and security of our passengers as well as difficulties around some key operational issues. “We are currently evaluating all options for our customers planning to travel at that time and we will be reaching out directly to them for information about their trip.”

Also, South African Airways in its letter to Sirika, informed him that it would cease flight operations to Abuja starting from today, March 6th 2017.

The letter was made exclusively available to our correspondent by a source close to the Ministry. The letter was signed by the Ag. Chief Commercial Officer, SAA, Mr. Aaron Munetsi.

The letter read in part: “SAA commends the Nigerian authorities concerning the planned repairs of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport runway. However, due to network and fleet operations planning, SAA regrets to advise that the airline will suspend its Abuja operations with effect from 6th March until April 18th 2017.

“The airline promised to be in constant touch with the Nigerian aviation authorities as the repair work progresses in order to establish its readiness for revised operations in accordance with the work schedule.” Besides, the media consultant to Lufthansa Airways, Mr. Hakeem Jimoh in a telephone conversation with our correspondent said that the carrier would not operate to Kaduna as directed by the government. Rather, he explained that the airline would continue to operate to Port Harcourt and Lagos, stressing that it would only return to Abuja Airport once it is re-opened for flight operations.

He explained that the airline has already stopped the sales of Abuja airport tickets for passengers intending to travel to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from March 8, 2017. Jimo explained that passengers who had already booked ahead, the airline would offer them “no fee booking option,” which would allow them to change their travel plans to Lagos and Port Harcourt Airports without collecting additional charges from them.

He, however, said that for those who still prefer Abuja Airport to any of the alternatives offered by the airline, the management would make refunds to them without any charges.

He said: “There is no plan to operate to Kaduna Airport by the airline. We will soon suspend our operations to Abuja and return to the airport once it is re-opened for flight operations. We don’t have any codeshare arrangement with any Nigerian airline at least for now.


“So, for those who have already book ahead, we will give them alternatives, which is either Lagos or Port Harcourt that we still fly into in the country. We will offer them ‘no-fee booking option,’ which is the industry standards and if any passenger still doesn’t want to fly with us, we will make a full refund of their payments to them without any charges.”

Other airlines that operate into Abuja, but have declined to fly to Kaduna are Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Air France and Lufthansa Airways.

However, indigenous carriers have indicated their willingness to operate direct flights to Kaduna as from tomorrow.
Dana Air in a press statement to journalist early this morning said I would commence four daily flights to the state from March 8, 2017.

The airline put the frequencies at 7.02am, 10.53, 13.23pm and 18.25pm, while there would be one flight each from Uyo and Port Harcourt to Kaduna keeping strictly to its scheduled time of departure.

Also, Med-View in a statement by its media consultant hinted that it would as from Wednesday commence five daily flights to Kaduna from Lagos.

The statement explained that with the schedule, all Med-View Airline flights to Maiduguri and Yola would be routed through Kaduna airport, but their departure and arrival time remain unchanged as well as flights originating from Lagos.

Commenting on the increased frequencies, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the schedule was a proactive measure taken to ensure that all its numerous passengers going to Maiduguri and Yola have a seamless transition to their various destinations while flying Abuja-bound passengers to Kaduna.

The troubled Nigerian Arik Air, has also announced a special promotional fare that would enable passengers to buy a one-way ticket to any destination in Nigeria from N16, 000 especially those on the Kaduna route.

Arik also introduced a new schedule for the airport. The airline said that it would be operating three daily flights between Kaduna and Lagos and one daily flight between Kaduna and Accra, Ghana during this period.

Abuja Airport runway was constructed in 1982 alongside the commissioning of the airport. Rather than the industry standards of 20 years before total overhauling, the runway was in use for 34 years without any major repairs.

While it is closed, Abuja-bound passengers will have to fly to Kaduna and travel by bus to the capital, guarded by security agents, on a road where kidnappings have become recurrent in the last few years.

The plans for Kaduna to handle Abuja flights have been met with skepticism. The airport handled just 12 flights in December 2015, the last month for which Nigeria’s airports authority has figures, compared with 812 that used Abuja.