Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN today expressed
determination to utilise the upgraded Port Harcourt International
Airport facility effectively.
FAAN’s Managing
Director, Mr Rabiu Yadudu, explained at the maiden landing of the
Ethiopian Airline ET939 with crew members to the Port Harcourt
International Airport that the capacity, facilities and location of the
airport had indeed accorded the airport a necessary business attraction.
Ethiopian
Airline had opted to operate from Port Harcourt International Airport,
following the closure of the Enugu Airport for repair works.
The
FAAN MD, represented by Capt. Muktar Muye, Director, Airport Operations
said that though Ethiopian Airline opted for the Airport, pending the
conclusion of repairs at the Enugu Airport, there was every tendency
that it could be permanently adopted as it had an excellent standard
facility.
The move to operate from Port
Harcourt is quite commendable; I hope Ethiopian Airline would even after
Enugu Airport reopens, incorporate Port Harcourt Airport into its
routes.
For now, the Ethiopian Airline flight
schedules would be in Port Harcourt, as long as the Enugu Airport is in
repairs and the estimated duration for the ongoing construction in Enugu
Airport is between six to eight weeks.
They
would be here for approximately three months and depending on the
hospitality they get; I am sure they would rather remain, Yadudu said.
Contributing,
Mr Felix Abayomi, Regional Manager of FAAN,
South-South/South-East/Manager Port Harcourt International Airport, said
this measure was an answered prayer, that would further enhance
business activities in the airport.
For me, I see this business relationship as an answered prayer.
We
truly need more international operations in the Airport because the
current terminal capacity is more than the number of flights at the
moment, he said.
Abayomi, however, said that as
part of efforts to attract more international airline operators to Port
Harcourt, the airport presently is undergoing a certification process.
We
are looking at December 23, 2019, for Port Harcourt International
Airport to be licensed, such licensing would imply that the airport is
in all standard, safe for use.
This means that
the insurance premium for any aircraft flying into the Airport would
automatically be reduced because the airport is in all standard
certified safe.
Responding on behalf of
Ethiopian Airline, Mr Solomon Mekonnen, the Traffic and Sales Manager of
the airline, commended FAAN and the airport management for providing
the facility as a quick business alternative.
We
are indeed happy to be here, though the ongoing repairs in the Enugu
Airport brought us here today actually, Ethiopian Airline had an
extended plan to operate from this Airport.
Yes,
Port Harcourt International Airport has world-class facilities, it is
new, it is a commercial hub and located in the heart of the capital city
of Rivers.We have always had a big business interest for Port Harcourt International Airport.
