Following the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for repair works on the runway for 6 weeks, with effect from March 6th, the foreign Airlines have started giving notifications to the Federal Government of their intention not to operate from Kaduna airport.

The foreign airlines had earlier told the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, during the stakeholders meeting the minister called in Abuja to address all issues relating to the proposed closure, that they will not operate from Kaduna Airport due to security issues in Kaduna State.

Despite the government frantic efforts to allay the fears of the airlines, British Airways has just notified the federal government that it will not operate from the Kaduna Airport during the closure of the Abuja Airport, likewise other airlines like South African Airways, SAA, Lufthansa, KLM-Air France had earlier said they would not operate from Kaduna due to safety and security challenges.

British Airways Country Manager, Mr. Kola Olayinka, had said the airline plans to assess its best options for its customers during the closure period of the runway.

Olayinka said, “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 concerned 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”.

He further explained that catering services as well as “adequate technology were not in Kaduna including simple technologies like the Common User Terminal Equipment among others”.

South African Airways has reportedly written a letter, signed by the acting chief commercial officer, SAA, Mr. Aaron Munetsi, to the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika informing him that it would cease flight operations to Abuja on March 6, 2017, days before the closure of the airport.

http://www.fatisticinfo.com/2017/02/foreign-airlines-notify-fg-of.html

mwuh?

Comment Deleted By User

Na wa

So person gats blow come Lagos before him go fit fly abroad?

I know it will come to this, Nigeria is never ready, and never has a back up plans, I wonder what type of country we are in.
Well even the 6 weeks they gave is not a grantee they might not finish it in even 3 months.

What a shame, since they have received that ,should they not provide a better alternative.

Looks like we would have to use Lagos only for the duration of the closure....since everyone does not want Kaduna.

Having said that....long term

1.Abuja needs a second airport. Build one either around Kuje or Bwari axis.

2.We need a high speed railway link between Abuja....and Kano, Enugu, and Lagos/Ibadan...with upgrades at Enugu and Kano Airport.

3.We need to improve our Federal Highway structure well well.

4.Abuja also needs a tramway service./intra city rail

5.Let us renovate our Airport runways....AS and AT WHEN DUE!...NOT 20 years later.

6.Abuja airport needs two more runways.

So sad.
When people complain about some ills in the government, it's not always about politics. When Christians were being slaughtered in southern kaduna some people kept mute and did "eyes right" as if they didn't know what was happening.

The whole world was watching. Now after allowing the perpetrators to go scotch free and even paid some of them for killing you think foreigners will feel safe again? No way.

They'll equally think that once they get kidnapped or killed the government will only pay the perpetrators so they won't kill again. Everyone is scared of Kaduna state right now.

Kudos to Elrufai

f

Ok

Pls I don't blame the airlines... there is insecurity in kaduna and the airport is also below standard.

See as the airport be like Mammy Market.

This government is never serious about anything. They want to divert people who value their lives to Kaduna? Isn't it the same Kaduna where genocide has been taking place?

These foreign airlines and countries wouldn't risk their nationals on Kaduna soil so that Fulani herdsmen do not kidnap them or even slaughter them.

As it stands, the only airport that may be acceptable is the MMA but the distance is a No-no.

Is ok now, let them land at any airport they want to, if they like they should land at ekiti airport then the passengers should take bus to Abuja, because no matter what threat the renovation will go on, is better to lose customer than lose lives

This is purely a business decision .

Kaduna is just 180Km away from Abuja
Kaduna has the fourth best runway in Nigeria
Kaduna has a dual carriage express way to Abuja
Kaduna has a standard fully air-conditioned train to Abuja, moving at a speed of 120km per hour and go as much as 200km per hr


Ethiopian airline and Egypt air have already erected their stand in kaduna airport, this boycott will be a gain to them

Nobody wants to Die..anyways i dunt fly

9jakohai:
Looks like we would have to use Lagos only for the duration of the closure....since everyone does not want Kaduna.

Having said that....long term

1.Abuja needs a second airport. Build one either around Kuje or Bwari axis.

2.We need a high speed railway link between Abuja....and Kano, Enugu, and Lagos/Ibadan.

3.We need to improve our Federal Highway structure well well.

4.Abuja also needs a tramway service.

5.Let us renovate our Airport runways....AS and AT WHEN DUE!...NOT 20 years later.

They better use Enugu Airport. Lagos is heavily congested; however, Enugu is not, there are several hotels with 5-star service in Enugu and safety in Enugu is guaranteed.

Good decision, who will want to go and board a plane where he does not know the location the fulani herdmen are laying ambush.

The northern elites should arm their miscreants for more terrorism in their region, and they should live with it alone.

What alternatives do they have? People must travel (by air) to Abuja, and the closest airport (I dare say) is the Kaduna Airport.

Well, if they cannot use the Kaduna Airport, they should "offload" their passengers at MMA, while local carriers like Arik shunt the passengers to Kaduna (from where the passengers will enter cabs (or kabu kabu) to Abuja!

Bussiness opportunity for Road Transport Service Providers!!!

if not because IBB and Abdulsalam don't have the interests of Niger state at heart.... Minna would have been chosen.

How can 2 former presidents not do anything worthwhile for their state?

Power State is their sobriquet but electricity is spectacularly bad there. The state of the Minna-Abuja road is very shameful (this is one of the reasons I learnt Minna wasn't chosen). Yet it's rumoured Abdulsalam owns the power generating company supplying Niger and he got the contract for the road.

Visit Niger state and you would be shocked at how underdeveloped it is.

For Kaduna state, this is karma paying back for not taking the incidents in the southern part of the state serious plus the unnecessary persecution of Shiites.

Is there any day u wont hear a lousy news about Nigeria?
Religion and tribalism has killed us

Believe me or not if El Rufai had done something earlier about the herdsmen terrorist and criminal activities, this wouldn't be happening.

I know that kaduna airport would create an issue

Contact us for all your roofing jobs and roof maintenance etc

Kaduna state has always been on the black list of many foreign interests. Way long before Zarkaky and Fulani massacres.

I see no options for the govt. because Abuja runways really needs repair before it leads to a crash.

Its simple they should just cancel or postpone any engagement in Abuja during the said closure, if they can't use the closest alternative (Kaduna)

Meanwhile KD airport is a very good alterative. Other airlines are already making plans to relocate temporarily.

asekefatima:
Following the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for repair works on the runway for 6 weeks, with effect from March 6th, the foreign Airlines have started giving notifications to the Federal Government of their intention not to operate from Kaduna airport.

The foreign airlines had earlier told the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, during the stakeholders meeting the minister called in Abuja to address all issues relating to the proposed closure, that they will not operate from Kaduna Airport due to security issues in Kaduna State.

Despite the government frantic efforts to allay the fears of the airlines, British Airways has just notified the federal government that it will not operate from the Kaduna Airport during the closure of the Abuja Airport, likewise other airlines like South African Airways, SAA, Lufthansa, KLM-Air France had earlier said they would not operate from Kaduna due to safety and security challenges.

British Airways Country Manager, Mr. Kola Olayinka, had said the airline plans to assess its best options for its customers during the closure period of the runway.

Olayinka said, “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 concerned 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”.

He further explained that catering services as well as “adequate technology were not in Kaduna including simple technologies like the Common User Terminal Equipment among others”.

South African Airways has reportedly written a letter, signed by the acting chief commercial officer, SAA, Mr. Aaron Munetsi, to the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika informing him that it would cease flight operations to Abuja on March 6, 2017, days before the closure of the airport.

http://www.fatisticinfo.com/2017/02/foreign-airlines-notify-fg-of.html

Bull-shit!

They want to decide for us in our country?

Afterall, they are the ones that said we lack maintenance culture and now that we are having it, they don't want to comply.

It has now been established that Nigeria is a failed nation.

Last month I flew by air to Abuja and noticed the poor state of the Abuja runway. It was literally in ruins, very badly cracked.

Now the question is , why wasn't it noticed in time? Shouldn't there a routine check of emthe runway? If this was noticed at least a year earlier, at least they would have commenced construction of another runway so as to avoid total complete shut down of the airport.

Cursed nation, cursed leaders.

Na by force make dem come Kaduna? If dem no fit fly go there, make dem find their own way. Must we be bent by foreigners to do their bids? Abegi!!!

interesting

Nawa oh! Whr is this country heading to?
God help us

Another issue

Please check out my signature for quality and durable furniture

WHICH KADUNA ? YOU WANT FULANI HERDSMEN TO KIDNAP OUR PEOPLE FINISH