The clamour for upgrade in airport infrastructure to boost flight connectivity from some domestic terminals into routes in the West and Central African region in the last decade continues to engage the attention of players in the Nigerian aviation eco-space. But, bridging this gap has pushed airport authorities and private terminal managers to scale up investment in operational equipment , safety procedures in order to meet prescribed international regulatory standards for aerodromes approved to undertake such tasks. How ready are facilities at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two in Lagos, as passengers anticipate processing regional flights from the facility soon, asks KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR.
The clamour for improvement in airport infrastructure as a facilitator for seamless passenger processing in the air travel eco – space has continued to gain global attention in the last decades with a clarion call on governments to mobilise the needed strategies on the funding/ operational models to achieve it.
For this reason, many countries including Nigeria have embraced airport infrastructure development initiatives to bring facilities at aerodromes up to meet up with internationally prescribed requirements to drive local, regional and international flight operations.
Strategically, some countries including Nigeria, , have adopted different development models to pursue infrastructure upgrades for airports in readiness for any category of flight operations.
It is for this reason that over a decade ago the Federal Government adopted the concession model to facilitate development of airport infrastructure aimed at addressing flight connectivity challenges from either local or international terminals into the West and Central African region.
Besides, some state governments, including Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Jigawa, Kebbi and others have invested in the construction of airport terminals to drive flight connection into and out of their domains.
But, these efforts have had their fair share of controversies on how strategic the facilities fit into the connectivity initiative.
Concerns by global aviation organisations including International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI) in the last decade point to the state of facilities at many airports, especially Nigerian airports.
Specifically, the bodies have complained about lack of transit facilities at airports in Nigeria for passengers desirous to connect between local , regional and international flights.
Recently, IATA, trade association of global airlines called on the Nigerian government to take urgent steps to address the state of airport infrastructure, including transit facilities to enable passengers and airlines to have seamless operations at the aerodromes.
His intervention came on the heels of challenges thrown up when foreign carriers were mandated to relocate their operations from the old terminal to the new wing of MMIA.
Passengers on both regional and international flights experienced some inconveniences on account of inadequate facilitation procedures/ processes at the terminal.
Experts have argued that if regional flight operations were permitted at the local terminal operator by a private company , the experience would have been different.
Experts say collaboration between the Federal Government and private sector players , whether in the form of concessions, has gone a long way in resolving infrastructural challenges in the aviation sector.
Speaking in a recent interview, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo said the Tinubu administration is committed to fixing challenges in the sector by leveraging collaboration with private sector players for the improvement and development of infrastructure for passenger convenience.
Besides, he said the government is also committed to supporting the growth growth and sustenance of local airline business with facility optimisation.
Latching on to the government’s agenda for air transport development, operator of the new Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) has concluded plans to begin regional flights from the facility.
The company is awaiting the nod of the Federal Government and apex civil aviation regulator – Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to actualise the ambition.
The terminal management company had secured certification since 2016 for its operational facilities to undertake regional flights.
Investigations by The Nation reveal that it will be the first privately managed terminal to achieve the feat.
Regional flights in Nigeria before now only take off from the international wings of the Lagos , Abuja airports.
Regional flights cover countries in West and Central Africa. Many Nigerian carriers, including Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, Ibom Air and others operate flights into Accra, Doula, Banjul, Monrovia, Freetown, Lome and other destinations.
If the new deal seals through , the MMA 2 would become the first domestic terminal to become a hub and facilitate the connection of passengers from local flights into regional routes without seamlessly leaving the airport.
For Air Peace alone, its regional transit regional flights are Accra-Freetown-Accra, Accra-Douala-Accra, Monrovia-Lome-Monrovia, Accra-Dakar-Accra, Lome-Accra-Lome and Accra-Banjul-Accra.
Experts say approval to connect its domestic flights into the regional rotation will be convenient for passengers.
The transit hub, the experts say, would enable its regional and international passengers from other countries fly to their final destinations with airlines through Lagos Airport hub.
Commenting on the planned regional flights from the MMA2, an industry expert , who pleaded not be named said : “ ”Now, passengers from other countries can fly some of the local carriers designated on either international regional destinations by converging in Lagos at a local terminal approved by the Federal Government from where they are flown to their destinations seamlessly without leaving the airport. If the hint that MMA2 will get such a nod is anything to go by, that is work in progress for air travel in Nigeria.”
Efforts by other terminal managers including Asaba Airpor in Delta State and Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital are yet to come to fruition.
Experts in the sector say if BASL secures the approval of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the arrangement will alter the air travel narrative in the country’s mobility eco- system.
Speaking in an interview, industry commentator and Chief Executive Officer of Travel Signatures Limited, Imelda Aso , said the proposed arrangement will reduce passengers struggling to transverse the often chaotic traffic challenges along the Lagos Airport Road.
She said it will reduce the hassles passengers go through undergoing uncoordinated profiling and checks at the crowded new international terminals of the Lagos Airport.
A source at the NCAA said the operator has installed the necessary facilities for security and bio metric screening equipment required for regional and international flights .
Earlier in the year, BASL’s Head of Operations confirmed that the terminal management company has invested over N600 million to upgrade facilities in readiness for regional flight operations.
Data from the NCAA confirmed that over 5.9 million passengers traveled through the airport in the last two years.
Data from international aviation organisations reaffirm the aerodrome as one of the busiest in Africa in the last few years.
The Nation investigations reveal that despite the shocks of COVID – 19 Pandemic, the aerodrome facilitated over 3.7 million passengers between 2021 and 2022.
As of a few months ago, the aerodrome facilitated over one million passengers, suggesting a dip in footfalls triggered by the ongoing economic situation resulting in reduced disposable income available to Nigerians for air travel.
However, a ministerial committee on Airport Security in 2016 had certified the MMA2 ready for the commencement of regional operations.
Ewah said the company had complied with all regulatory requirements by clearly separating domestic from regional passengers and providing facilities for security and facilitation agencies such as immigration, quarantine officials, among others.
The official said all the agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), had assessed and approved the facilities after all necessary requirements had been met.
He said:“We have invested over N600 million in the facilities for this operation and we have not recouped one Naira since it all started in 2014. We are actually ready, the terminal is ready, Gates 5 and Gate 6 have been dedicated for regional flights.
Experts familiar with the development said the current pressure on limited travel facilities at both the new and old terminals of the MMIA , Lagos could encourage the Federal Government to accelerate approval for take off of regional flights from the MMA2.
But, industry experts say such approval, will require that the relevant border control, security and trade facilitation agencies required at an international air border post, including are mobilised at the MMA2 .
Recall that Chairman of Air Peace , Allen Onyema had complained of the absence of transit facilities at airports in Nigeria, a development, the operator said is affecting regional flight operations by local carriers.
Speaking on the development, former Secretary General of umbrella body of local carriers- Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mohammed Tukur said recent developments concerning pressure on facilities at the international wings of the MMIA, reinforces the need for the Federal Government to grant rights to MMA2 to operate regional flights.
He said : “ As a local terminal housing majority of local carriers, there is nothing unusual to allow airlines designated on regional routes to carry out their regional operations from the aerodrome.
” There is nothing wrong in granting such approval as long as the aerodrome operator meets all prescribed regulatory, safety and operational requirements. The terminal has come of age.”
Tukur described the terminal as world-class, stressing that the facility is the only one in Nigeria that boasts of self-service kiosks in the country that makes airport facilitation faster aside other facilities.
He went on : “ MMA2 is the first and only terminal to deploy such in Nigeria, West and Central Africa. Providing a world-class experience for every visitor.”
MMA2, he said, offered everything the arriving and departing passengers might need, from efficient check-in and access to top-notch airport facilities, tourism information and transit information, fabulous shopping and dining options and other facilities for extensive meetings and conferences.
Commenting on the effectiveness of MMA2 in passenger facilitation, Susan Akporiaye, the President of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA), said MMA2 is devoid of unnecessary hassles and has the capacity to handle regional flights, adding that the government should consider the possibility of processing regional flights from MMA2.
Akporiaye explained that the state-of-the-art regional facility has remained unutilized for over a decade, even though it represents a readily available solution to the capacity challenges faced at the international wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport.
The NANTA boss added that MMA2’s commitment to exceptional customer service sets it apart, with a focus on passenger satisfaction and support throughout their journey.
Despite the readiness of the terminal operator, the NCAA is yet to give a date on when regional operations will begin at the terminal.
Officials of the regulatory authority said conversations are on – going on the development.
The NCAA is not definite on when the coast will be clear for the aerodrome to begin regional flights.
The official said : “ The facility is an additional capacity to passenger facilitation in Lagos, but we are engaging them to ensure the terminal operator meets all requirements for such operations, we will continue to have conversations with them. This is work in progress.”
Meanwhile in 2017, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), called on the NCAA not to grant approval for regional operations to BASL citing inadequate space.
