FAAN, NAMA suspend flights extension for sunset airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has withdrawn flight extension rights granted to airlines that fly to sunset and sunrise airports over rising insecurity in the country.

Sunsets airports refer to aerodromes without landing facilities, which means that airlines can only operate between 7a.m to 6:30p.m.

FAAN said henceforth, any airline that applies for an extension of operating hours to aerodromes that operate earlier than 7am and later than 6pm would no longer be granted.

The managing director, FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu disclosed this on Wednesday at the second day of the ongoing 2022 Airline and Airport Business Summit and Expo (AABSE) held in Lagos.

Yadudu said that its management had already met with the management of NAMA on the issue and a decision had been taken.

He appealed to all stakeholders, especially airline operators, to comply with the directive, insisting that the two agencies would not change the policy.

There are about 28 federal and state-owned airports in the country.

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Apart from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Omagwa, Aminu Kano International Airport (AKIA), Kano and Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu that operate 24 hours services, other 23 airports operate between 7a.m to 6p.m.

Most of these facilities, known as sunset airports, do not have the infrastructure such as airport lighting that enables flights to operate into the night.

He explained that in case of unforeseen circumstances, the two agencies may reconsider their position.

He said: “I think it is actually the safety and security considerations that made us make this particular decision. We have already sat down, met with the NAMA team and we reached an agreement that there is no need for extension any longer. Once an airport is sunrise to sunset, it has to remain so and it is for all stakeholders to respect that particular provision and respect it accordingly.

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“You don’t plan safety and security policy based on permutations. When some things like that happen, we can then cross the bridge when we get there. Right now, we are working normally and we have to plan our operations the standard way. If you plan such things, then you will never have standard operations anywhere because these are force majeure.”