EXPERT: DESPITE IMPROVEMENT IN AERONAUTICAL FACILITIES, HARMATTAN MAY HAMPER FLIGHT OPERATIONS DURING YULETIDE

airport, Osubi. This is to enable airlines use our navigational facilities. We have done Performance Based Navigation and some airlines that have modern aircraft are benefitting from it. The landing aids at the airports are doing well; so if there is flight cancellation, don’t attribute it to NAMA,” the official said.

THISDAY also learnt that there are other factors that hamper flight operations beyond weather during the Christmas season and this include daylight airports that use Visual Flight Rule (VFR) and are shut down by 6:00 pm because there is no airfield lighting and many airports are under that status.

“Some airlines schedule flights to these airports late and may not have time to officially request for extension of time so they can land and when they do this, ATC will not give them start up to leave the airport of departures o they would be forced to cancel the flight. Besides, when there is no airfield lighting the ILS usage may not be maximized. For example, for you to fully utilise Category 3 ILs, you must have Category 3 airfield lighting. The Minister of Aviation directed that the Lagos and Abuja airports should be installed with Category 3 airfield lighting and they are fully in operation,” the official further said.

THISDAY gathered that in 2018, flight operations did not take place on December 21, 22 and 23, as airlines had to reschedule their flights at huge cost and enormous discomfort to passengers. Similarly, in 2019, there were disruptions but not as severe as the previous year and in 2020 there were delays. Harmattan haze did not disrupt flight like in the past years, but due to weather changes, it is unpredictable if this year could get worse and that is why industry observers said that efficient landing aids are the answer to the intemperate weather changes.