There have been divided opinions amongst stakeholders in the nation’s aviation industry, following the decision of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to stop flight operation extension to sunrise and sunset airports across the country.
FAAN in collaboration with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had recently adopted a new operating standards policy by stopping flight operation extension to sunrise and sunset airports across the country.
Sunset airports refer to aerodromes without landing facilities. This means that airlines can only operate between 7 am to 6.30 pm.
However, the five major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano, can operate 24 hours, sunrise to sunset.
Shortly after the declaration by the Managing Director of FAAN, Capt Rabiu Yadudu, a cross section of pilots and engineers applauded the move, saying that the decision to stop flight extension request to airlines by the managements of FAAN and NAMA was a step in the right direction
The stakeholders, under the auspices of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), pointed out that inasmuch as the decision was based on security and safety the decision could not be compromised.
On the other hand, participants at the recently held seminar on Sunset Airports by League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents, have argued that the notion of ‘Sunset Airports’ or limited (daylight) hours of operations is a self-limiting factor that is retrogressive and a challenge that should be addressed by a modern state.
According to them, the phenomenon is a major disrupter of the economies of airline operation and utilisation of aircraft assets.
The self-imposed limitation was identified as one of the main banes of gross under-utilisation of aircraft, estimated to cost each airplane three hours of operation daily and at least N4.3billion worth of unearned revenue yearly (per equipment).
The untapped revenue, they observed, gets bigger in an airline that has five or more aircraft and the reason local airlines battle survivability unlike their counterparts in Europe, North America and Asia.
The stakeholders therefore, advised that Sunset airport phenomenon and restriction in operating hours should henceforth be treated as an aberration and a problem to tackle, given their dire impacts on airlines and the economy at large.
Explaining further, why they are in support of stopping flight extension, President of NAAPE, Engr Abednego Galadima, who spoke on behalf of the professionals appealed to the players in the sector, especially airline operators to adhere strictly to their schedules to avoid a crisis in their operations, stressing that once this is adhered to, disruption to service would be avoided.
He said, “If the intention is based on safety and security of airlines and persons, it is not out of place. I don’t think the intention is to short-change the airlines.
“I will only advise the airlines to ensure that they adhere strictly to their schedules instead of asking for extension by FAAN and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). As you know, safety and security are our top priority in the industry and can’t be compromised.”
The Managing Director of FAAN Capt. Rabiu Yadudu has earlier announced the new flying regime, stating that the step was taken due to safety and security considerations.
Yadudu who informed that FAAN had met with sister agency, NAMA) and both have resolved to adopt the new policy.
Speaking at a forum organized by NIGAV recently, Yadudu stressed that approvals are available for necessary cases but that airlines must now work within their confines as no approvals for extension will be granted willy-nilly.
This move, according to Yadudu is a safety move and may in time check airlines who have a Standard Operating Procedure of delaying their flights but he however, insisted that the policy FAAN has tinkered is not absolute and would make concessions for extreme situations.
“We have stopped giving operation extensions to sunrise and sunset airports across the country. It was actually the safety and security considerations that drove us to make this particular decision. We have already started and we’ve met with the NAMA team and we are in agreement that there is no going back.”
On exigencies that could force airlines to operate to sunrise and sunset airports beyond the scheduled period, he said:
“We don’t plan safety and security policy based on such permutations.When something like that happens, then we know how to cross the bridge when we get there; but right now we are working normally and operations are normal, we have to plan our operations the way they remain standard. If you consider such things then you will not have standard operations procedure (SOP) anywhere. It remains as it is.”
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
