More Passengers Stranded as Bad Weather Forces Airlines to Cancel Flights
- NIMET: Air and ground visibility not likely to improve in days as operators count loses
Dele Ogbodo in Abuja
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) tuesday said there would be more flight cancellation and delays by airline operators as a result of the Southward bound dust haze coming from Niger and Chad Republic.
Flight cancellation by virtually all the airlines operating from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, caused agonising experience for passengers who could not make their trips outside of Abuja.
Corroborating what the DG of the agency, Mr. Anthony Anuforom, told THISDAY last Monday, the agency’s latest weather report monitored on its broadcast station, said that the weather condition across the country is not likely to improve in the days ahead.
With a coupled of airlines grounded as a result of bad weather, operators however declined speaking on the quantum of their loses due to their inability to fly.
Meanwhile, THISDAY checks at the airport showed only MedView airline landing the airport from Yola.
A THISDAY source while pleading anonymity, informed that Arik air inevitably has to cancel all its flights to Lagos, Yola, Enugu and Kano because of the bad weather report from NIMET.
The source said: “As we speak (4:15 p.m), only MedView has landed successfully at the airport. Dana airlines’ flight to Lagos during day was returned because it couldn’t land in Lagos, due to the bad weather.”
Also, Air Peace airline had to cancel all its Tuesday scheduled flights because of the deteriorating weather condition, the Source confirmed.
NIMET, in its live-steam broadcast, said: “Monday ushered a blanket of dust haze into the country from Niger and Chad Republic.”
The incoming wind, the report hinted, is expected to reinforce the suspended dust over the country as it gravitates towards the Southern parts of the country.
According to the report, this will lead to cancellation and delays in flight operations across the 22 airports in the country as confirmed by THISDAY source at the airport.
The agency said: “Temperature will be on the low side as horizontal visibility over Bida, Minna will be recording between 100 and 200 meters respectively, adding that the the blurred visibility will not get better in the days ahead.”
