Rating of Port Harcourt airport, unfounded, controversial –FAAN

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday described as unfounded a recent survey conducted by the SleepingInAirports.net, which rated the Port Harcourt International Airport as the “dirtiest and most corrupt in Africa”.

According to the authority, the said survey which it described as controversial did not take cognizance of the ongoing remodelling of the airport terminal.

A statement by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Yakubu Dati, FAAN, also aligned with the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Bello, who had earlier rejected the rating. FAAN said because construction work airport, some of the the of at its terminal operations were still conducted in a tent.

The statement said: ”Our stand therefore is that the said ranking was unfounded as it did not take cognizance of the fact that the Port Harcourt Airport terminal is still undergoing remodelling with some of its terminal operations still conducted in a temporary structure (tent). Apart from the on-going remodelling of the existing domestic terminal, from which both international and local flight operations are conducted, construction work is also in progress at the site of the new international terminal, among other projects at the airport”.

“We sincerely believe that operations at such an airport, where construction work is going on simultaneously with normal flight and related operations cannot be as conducive as those in airports where there are no on-going construction projects. Neither can environments at such different scenarios be equally clean, FAAN said.

The authority assured passengers, airline operators and other airport users that the services it provides at the airport “are delivered at recommended international standards that ensure safety, security and comfort”.