Air Passengers Decry Bush Burning Around PH Airport 

Users and passengers at the  Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, have called on the management of the airport to be proactive in monitoring the spread of bush burning around the airport during the harmattan to avoid disruption of flights movement.
This is coming on the hills of abrupt suspension of flight operations at the airport last weekend due to uncontrollable smoke at the tarmac arising from the bush burning which affected visibility at the tarmac.
Reacting to the issue while interacting with aviation correspondents last Tuesday, a regular Abuja passenger, Hon. Fred Udagha, said the present harmattan season which affects flight movement would be worsened by smoke from bush burning.
According to him, flight operations will be affected if bush burning is not controlled around the airport, urging Port Harcourt airport authority to rise up to the challenge to ensure that harmattan weather is not worsened by smoke from bush burning.
A travel agent, Mr Tomkiri Tobin, said delay in flight movement would always keep the passengers uncomfortable, as they will continuously wait endlessly.
He decried the inconveniences suffered by his family and other passengers last Saturday as a result of unclear weather, aggravated by smoke and harmattan, which led to the closure of the airspace at the airport.
Meanwhile, the former Minister of Aviation during the Ibrahim Babangida’s administration, Alabo Graham Douglas, in a separate chat with aviation correspondents noted that harmattan weather is not favourable to flight operations.
The Port Harcourt Airport last weekend witnessed a dusty and smoky weather due to the harmattan and bush burning around the airport tarmac which led to the diversion of flights and temporary closure of airspace on that day.
Normal flight operations however, resumed last Monday, except for minor delay noticeable from few airline operators due to operational reasons.

Corlins Walter