ART Charges FAAN On Airport Security

The President of Aviation Round Table, Captain Dele Ore has urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to secure the access gates to all the nation’s airports.

Captain Ore who spoke to journalists in an interview expressed concern over the porous state of security at the airports.

According to him, the happenings in the country calls for FAAN     to go beyond the security requirements prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)..

Meanwhile, the Regional Manager of  the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, Mr Edward Olarerim has revealed that with the stability in government, more international airlines have signified interest in doing business in the country.

He said that Nigerians have started appreciating the need to travel by air as the fastest and safest means, adding that there has been increase in both passenger and cargo movements at the various airports in the last two years.

The regional manager who promised improved service to meet customers need noted that the expected improvement in service delivery for FAAN is predicated on the resolve by the airports authority to raise the bar on service delivery, pointing out that next year would be brighter for the FAAN.

“The Murtala Mohammed International Airport is the premier gateway into Nigeria with over 30 foreign airlines and cargo operating flights into it daily”, he disclosed.

Olaarerim added that over five million arriving and departing passengers were processed in 2009 and over six million in 2010, representing 11.41 per cent increase in passenger movement while aircraft movement rose from 83,552 in 2009 to 96,599 in 2010 representing 11.60 per cent increase.

Explaining further, he said that cargo volume in 2009 was over 176 million kilogrammes while it drastically increased to over 200 million kilogrammes in 2010, representing an increase of over 16 per cent.

In all, the regional manager stated that the MMIA recorded 70 per cent increase in passenger aircraft and cargo movement and attributed the sustained growth in traffic over the years to a creative and focused management team.

He announced that the four conveyor belts will be installed to commence operations before the end of this year while a new contractor has been engaged to address the issue of the chillers of the cooling systems at the airport.