• NCAA declares facility fit for scheduled flight operations

By Louis Ibah                                                                                      

Ethiopian Airlines will become the first international carrier to touch down the runway of the Kaduna airport today, as part of the official inauguration of the airport for international scheduled flight operations.

Spokesman for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Sam Adurogboye, who disclosed this to journalists yesterday, said all the projects initiated to boost the quality of infrastructure at the airport, to meet the standard requirements and yearnings of international and domestic flights, had been completed.                                                                 Adurogboye said: “The Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna, is fit and ready for 24 hours local and international operations, as all necessary steps to ensure that the status of the airport, as an alternate airport to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, (NAIA), during the closure have been put in place.

“At the commencement of flights, it is expected that the Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will be the first scheduled airline to arrive the Kaduna International Airport upon the closure of Abuja Airport.”

At present, only Ethiopian Airline had agreed to fly into the Kaduna Airport. All the other foreign carriers, like British Airways, KLM-AirFrance, Lufthansa and ‎South African Airways have all backed out of the Kaduna route, citing safety and logistics challenges as reasons.  However, local airlines, like Arik Air, Medview, Dana Air, and Air Peace have announced their intentions to fly into the Kaduna Airport as from tomorrow.

Adurogboye, however, said the NCAA, which regulates the industry, had confirmed that all the navigational aids at Kaduna airport have been well calibrated and fully functional to facilitate continuous smooth landings and takeoffs of aircraft.        

He also said to sustain the safety and security of airline operations, a team of Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) from the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS), Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP), Directorate of Air Transport Regulations (DATR), Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standard (DAAS) and Aviation Security Personnel were at the Kaduna airport.

Said he: “The National Security Committee has designed and got approval for a security programme to cover the airport and its environs during the six weeks. All the relevant aviation agencies, the regulatory authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Customs and Excise (NCS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Police and other security services, etc. are at the airport to provide unhindered facilitation of passenger traffic and flights.                       

“The regional managers of NCAA, Abuja and Kaduna offices, are on ground to allow for smooth integration of the additional staff coming to Kaduna,” he added.

The Federal Government will close the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) tonight to allow for extensive repairs on the runway.

According to government plan, all Abuja-bound flights will be diverted to the Kaduna International Airport for the six weeks period.