MMIA: Stakeholders attribute flight diversion to improper planning

Some aviation stakeholders have attributed the malfunctioning of landing facilities prompting flight diversions from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to improper planning and ineffective transition process for the airspace equipment.

In separate interviews with our reporter on Tuesday, the aviation experts urged Federal Government to make Lagos airport a priority in all considerations.

According to the aviation stakeholders, MMIA remains the most profitable international airport in Nigeria, serving the nation’s economic capital.

It was reported that several Lagos-bound international flights were recently diverted to Ghana, due to poor weather condition and complications from the new equipment installed at MMIA.

Mr Olumide Ohunayo, Member of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), said government ought to have bought the calibration aircraft and installed the Instrument Landing System (ILS) before the emergence of the inclement Harmattan weather.

Ohunayo noted that the idea of allowing airspace equipment to be kept for so long before installation was injurious to the safety of the flying public.

According to him, “the idea of buying the calibration aircraft is to save fund; and if by now we are conceding the calibration of the country’s equipment to a foreigner, then, there is a big problem.

“Except government takes safety as priority in the aviation sector, fixing the light on the second runway that is not functioning is more important than buying simulator aircraft,” Ohunayo said.

He urged government to effectively develop Nigerian airports infrastructure to generate more revenue that could be invested in other infrastructure.

Ohunayo also advised government to develop alternative airports outside Lagos.

According to Gbenga Olowo, President of ASRTI, the calibration aircraft cannot handle the task for Lagos ILS, which perhaps is a critical error in procurement decision.

“Continuous calibration is a routine, just like the aircraft maintenance, to ensure safety while diligence is key for routine functions.

“However, professionals are available, but limited resource management and priorities are the bane,” Olowo said.

Another aviation expert, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (Rtd), said that Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should also come out openly and tell the airline operators the challenges to their functions.

“It was not settled yet who was to calibrate; nobody has agreed yet, if it was the same aircraft and crew that would be used to enforce compliance.

“When none of these could be resolved, they went back to rent ASECNA in huge dollars, that caused them to buy the calibration aircraft in huge dollars; so, now what is the benefit of the dollars spent on Cat III ILS?

“It is a big challenge that all these are happening to the sector – inclement weather, Corona virus, unaccounted revenue, flights cleared to non-certified airport by some ghost authorities.

“All these within one month; May God save us before the harmattan goes off,” he said.

It was reports that on Feb. 13, the Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, blamed the recent flight diversions at the Lagos airport to the malfunction of Instrument Landing System (ILS), making landing difficult at the airport.

Sirika stated that unfortunately, there was a malfunctioning ILS, coupled with the unforeseen weather conditions, thus making landing at the airport difficult.

He said the procurement of the Category III ILS was in pursuance of the desire of the government to ensure the safety of air passengers, by ensuring that airplanes can land with almost zero visibility.