Airlines roll out new Kaduna schedules as Abuja airport closes

In preparation for the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja by midnight of tomorrow and diversion of Abuja-bound flights to Kaduna International Airport, domestic airlines have rolled out new schedules for the Kaduna operations, Daily Trust can report.

The new schedules effective from March 8 are temporary pending the six-week period for the completion of repair works on the badly damaged runway of Abuja Airport which has necessitated the total shutdown of the second busiest airport in the country.

Though many international airlines have made their decision known not to operate to Kaduna, the domestic carriers have prepared to take charge.

All the domestic carriers including those hitherto not flying to Kaduna are already rolling out plans to temporarily operate to Kaduna while those already flying the route are increasing the frequencies.

Med-view Airline was the first to roll out the new schedule ahead of the flight diversion with five daily flights from Lagos to Kaduna International Airport.

All Med-View Airline flights to Maiduguri and Yola will be routed through Kaduna Airport, but their departure and arrival time remain unchanged as well as flights originating from Lagos.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the schedule was a proactive measure taken to ensure that all its numerous passengers going to Maiduguri and Yola have a seamless transition to their various destinations, while flying Abuja-bound passengers to Kaduna.

Arik Air on its part said it would be operating three daily flights between Kaduna and Lagos and one daily flight between Kaduna and Accra, Ghana during the period. Other destinations to be serviced by the airline from Kaduna are Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Sokoto, Gombe, Yola and Enugu, which will have one daily flight each.

Also Azman has equally come up with new schedules for Kaduna operations servicing most routes from Kaduna.

Also Air Peace and Dana Air have also put in place arrangement for their temporary Kaduna operations with effect from March 8.

However, Bristow Nigeria Limited which operates a charter service from Lagos to Abuja appears the odd man out as it explained that it would route the route through Minna International Airport, Nigeria while connecting its passengers via helicopters to Abuja.

Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had last Friday inspected the works at the Kaduna Airport appealing to foreign carriers to rescind their decision not to fly to the airport.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on its part said all arrangements have been put in place for seamless flight operations in Kaduna ahead of the closure.

Spokesman of the authority, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said, “We were there on inspection this weekend. Almost everything is set. The terminal is almost completed; the conveyor belt is already functioning. Immigration desks have been put up, everything that you can imagine has been set. We are optimistic that between now and Tuesday, the remaining items that have not been completed would be put in place. It is just the terminal building that is awaiting final completion”.