To address flight disruptions, especially at airports with limited operating hours, aviation authorities have decided to extend operational hours to 10 pm at sunset airports.
These airports, which currently operate from 7 am to 7 pm due to the lack of night flying facilities, will benefit from the extended hours, reducing congestion and enhancing scheduling flexibility.
It was gathered that delays at destination airports, particularly those coming from Lagos and Abuja, often lead to cancellations at airports without 24-hour operations.
This causes frustration among passengers, as they face uncertainty and inconvenience due to the limited operating hours.
At a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to address rising flight disruptions, held at the NCAA Annex in Lagos, it was agreed that operational hours at sunset airports would be extended to 10:00 pm.
This extension will apply to airports with the necessary facilities and adequate lighting to support safe operations during the extended hours.
A key decision made at the meeting was the establishment of mobile courts to handle cases involving unruly passengers.
The meeting was attended by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, representatives of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), as well as Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) led by Vice-President, Mr. Allen Onyema, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace.
The meeting was held to address the widespread flight disruptions caused by the harmattan season and other operational challenges, with a focus on finding lasting solutions through collaboration and effective policy implementation.
At the meeting, Ag. Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, revealed that out of 5,291 flights operated in September 2024, 2,434 were delayed and 79 were cancelled.
He further said that out of 5,513 flights operated in October 2024, 2791 were delayed while 111 flights were cancelled.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, airlines were advised to optimize and trim their flight schedules to a manageable size, while ensuring the availability of standby aircraft to handle Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations.
The meeting also condemned the increasing incidents of unruly passenger behavior, including physical assaults on airline staff over flight delays or cancellations. It was agreed that NCAA and FAAN would jointly conduct sensitization campaigns on unruly passenger behavior, with a public statement to be issued.
The communique added, “AVSEC officials are to deploy promptly during passenger agitations at the airports and de-escalate aggression professionally.
“Efforts are underway with local leaders to address waste management and other environmental issues near airports, to help reduce bird strike risks.
“Unauthorised access to tarmacs will not be tolerated, and stricter security measures will be enforced.”
