Pilots Flying Blind, Airline Operators Cry Out

Ronke Kehinde/

Airline operators are getting worried over hazy weather in major parts of Nigeria.

The weather man has also raised the alarm that pilots are battling poor visibility of two to five kilometres and less than 1000 metres because of persistent dust and hazy weather over the entire country in the last few weeks.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has been warning pilots against adverse weather situations that could affect flight operations.

According to some airline operators, the bad weather has been disrupting flight operations, especially in the southern part of the country.

NewsmakersNG learnt that the disruption has led to flight cancellations by many airlines.

NewsmakersNG also learnt that the flight cancellations in many airports across the country began on Thursday.

An Enugu-bound Ethiopian flight was reportedly forced to return to Addis Ababa on Saturday at the point of landing because of bad weather.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday, only flights from Lagos and northern states were being announced for arrival and departure.

Mr Abdulahi Saroke, the Station Manager of Azman Air at the Abuja airport, told NAN that the airline cancelled more than 10 north-bound flights on Thursday and Friday.

He attributed the cancellation to intense harmattan haze in the region.

Saroke said that over five flights from Lagos to Kano, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Yola and Kebbi were cancelled as well as two flights from Kano.

He said that though the weather had improved in the northern region, it had worsened in the southern part.

According to him, as at Monday morning, the flights from Kano and Maiduguri were processed, but flights to Enugu and Benin could not be processed because bad weather has shifted to that region.

He said, “As I speak with you, no flight has taken off to Enugu and Benin and no flight has also come from those airports today.

“The situation has been like that since Saturday but the northern region has improved.’’

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), confirmed that the bad weather had affected many flights across the country.

Yakubu said that the weather was a natural phenomenon that was beyond human control.

She added that local fight was yet to be recorded as at 2 p.m.

According to her, no flight has also taken off from or landed at Benin airport today.

 

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