The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Rabiu Yadudu has disclosed that five airlines have indicated interests to begin flight operations at the new terminal at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos in September 2022.
Yadudu said that FAAN would rather take its time than start flight operations at the new airport on wrong footing, adding that this does not mean nothing was being done.
He stated this during the inspection of the facility at the terminal by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Lagos yesterday.
Yadudu said a lot of integration has to be done and more than eight airlines have shown interest in starting operations at the new terminal, but five would start from September 1.
“There is a connecting area with the old terminal where passengers will move from one terminal to the other. We need the aircraft to be able to park at one side.
“The second part is that FAAN is working with the federal government to ensure the clearing of obstruction so that there will be accessibility for the planes to park in that area,” he said.
The Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed said relevant authorities are working towards addressing issues concerning revenue of foreign airlines that have been trapped in Nigeria, put at over $600 million.
The minister said “On the trapped funds, I can tell you that the relevant authorities are working hard on that issue.”
Emirates Airlines last week announced that it would stop all scheduled operations to Nigeria from September 1, 2022, if no action was taken by government to address airline’s revenues which it had been unable to repatriate, that have risen to about $95 million.
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