Domestic Airlines Lose N20bn To Poor Lighting

Nigerian domestic carriers
lose over N20billion annually to poor, inadequate or non-existent air field lighting at some Nigerian airports
The losses are incurred by the inability of the airlines to operate to some airports in the country beyond 6.00pm, so they lose revenue estimated to be over 10 billion annually as airlines like Arik Air and Aero could operate to all the airports till 10pm and beyond every day.
Aircraft which is meant to operate at least 16 hours a day is forced to operate for only eight hours, which means they are grossly under ultilised and such under ultilisation is neither good for the equipment nor to the coffers of these airlines.
In addition to the economic losses is the break of safety standards as non-lighting of the run way could endanger aircraft operation under sudden poor visibility and this is what has contributed to the refusal of the Intenational Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) from certifying any of the nation’s airports.
But the Nigerian Airspace  Management Agency (NAMA), which has the responsibility of providing runway lighting to the airports, said it has started installing  airfield lighting at some of the airports.
In late 2012, the agency installed mobile lighting at the Murtala Muhammed Interantional Airport, Lagos,  known as Runway 18L and last month it installed passive reflector lighting at the taxiways of the domestic runway, thus completing the lighting systems at the runway.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, Supo Atobatele, said that the agency engineers have finished rehabilitation and installation of runway in some airports which include Enugu, Abuja, Ilorin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and  Yola.
“Right now they are maintaining approach and centre lines of the international runway at Lagos, airport known as Runway 18K.”
An official of Arik Air once told newsmen that the airline would rarely cancel flights if there is airfield lighting in all the airports in the country.
The official said Arik would have been flying late to Benin, Enugu, Calabar and other airports in the country where there is high demand of travelers especially on weekends.
Industry security expert, Group Capt John Ojikutu (Rtd) had observed that technically any airport runway that does not  have airfield lighting is useless during emergency as aircraft under distress cannot land there after 6.00pm.
NAMA said that it plans to provide airfield lighting at the airports that do not have it now and all others where existing lighting has become obsolete will be rehabilitated.

President Goodluck Jonathan in a hand shake with some Delta State Commissioners on his arrival at the Asaba International Airport enroute Anambra State for the ground breaking for the second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, recently.