Expanding Infrastructure to Absorb Growing Passenger Traffic

The failure to match facility expansion with passenger growth has been one of the factors that have retarded air transport development in Nigeria. This reality has compelled the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to expand capacity at the General Aviation Terminal to meet surging passenger increase, writes Chinedu Eze

During the unveiling of the new terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos in March, many Nigerians were aghast when it was revealed that the international terminal, which started in 1979, had initial capacity of 800, 000 passengers per annum. 

The facility continued to serve the travelling public, exceeded its built capacity and by 2021 it was processing about 75 per cent of nearly five million international passengers per annum, being the nation’s major gateway. 

Over the years, poor airport infrastructure has remained a challenge in the aviation industry. The tendency to wait until facilities have decayed or become grossly inadequate before intervention smacks of management that lacked vision and accurate projection of the future and industry stakeholders put the blame on government, which they said, allegedly micromanages the agencies through the Ministry of Aviation.

The stakeholders also said that poor and inadequate terminal facilities contribute significantly to flight delays, as there are delays in passenger processing due to inadequate security screening points and other facilities.

But the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) seems to have braced up for the challenge. The agency started infrastructural renewal programme to address the inadequate capacity at the Murtala MuhammedDomestic Terminal (MMA1); otherwise known as the General Aviation Terminal (GAT).

Facility Expansion

THISDAY learnt that FAAN has commenced gradual expansion of the domestic terminalwaiting lounge at the General Aviation Terminal and infrastructural renewal at the facility include the expansion of the waiting lounge from 500 capacity to 1, 054.

The existing bungalow structure would be rebuilt to two-story building that would house aviation clinic annex. There would be new elevator for check-in passengers, installation of state-of-the-art cooling system, increase of the screening points from two to five to enhance easy passenger facilitation. It would also create comfortable space for checked-in passengers, enhance space for VIPS and protocols. It is projected that when the project is completed, the GAT would be the largest domestic terminal in Nigeria.

Duration 

FAAN said it would complete the rehabilitation within nine and 12 months. The contractor handling the reconstruction is Glovesly Pro-Project Limited. 

Speaking to THISDAY on the project, the General Manager in charge of project at FAAN who is also the coordinator of the GAT project, Yemi Aiyelso, who explained that at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), there are Zulu and Alpha halls. 

“The Zulu terminal is the one we are expanding now. For a while now, the space at the Zulu terminal has been inadequate and due to its inadequacy, most of the airlines moved to the other terminal within the airport. The management has embarked upon inspection of the terminal several times and we concluded that it is necessary for us to expand the terminal so that it can accommodate more passengers.

“We wrote a proposal, sent it to the Ministry of Aviation and SenatorHadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, approved it and sent it to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for their approvals, which we got,” he said.

He confirmed that presently, the capacity of the facility is not more than 500 persons but it would be expanded to 100 per cent increase.

“Presently, the VIP is a bungalow building and we intend to expand it to a two-storey building. Also, we intend to have expanded protocols at the terminal so that if the capacity of the users is high, other passengers can go to any of the storey buildings. We are going to have escalators that will take people from one level to the other and they are all interconnected. So, from one terminal, you can easily get to the other,” he disclosed.

Enhanced Revenue Generation

Aiyelso regretted that inadequate capacity has compelled some of the airlines to move their operations to the other available terminal within the airport (MMA2), but expressed the hope that when the project is completed they would come back to enjoy a more enhanced facility.

“Presently, we have two screening points and machines at the Zulu terminal, but with the expansion, we hope to have five screening points, which will be interconnected and with that you have easy passage of passengers and seamless connectivity. The waiting time will be reduced for air travellers and passenger facilitation will definitely improve, the General Manager said.

With expansion of screening points the delays occasioned by passenger processing, especially at peak hours would be eliminated and this will enhance on-time performance for airlines.

Aiyelso said: “If you go in now, we have done it in such a way that it is easy for passengers to move without any discomfort to them. We have allocated a place for the contractors to put their equipment and we also ensure that critical jobs, which may affect easy movement of passengers, will be done at night. It is a seamless work for everyone.”

He said he was happy being appointed as the Coordinator of this project and expressed gratitude to the FAAN management for giving him the opportunity to serve and to contribute in the rehabilitation of the facility. 

“I am very grateful to my management for the opportunity given me to serve in this capacity. I can assure them that the project will be on time, professionally done and quality-wise, it will be a topnotch. By the time we finish, everyone will appreciate what we are doing,” he said.

The General Manager said the travelling public should not be worried, reiterating that the work would not inconvenience passenger movement.

Lounge Extension

The GAT Terminal Manager, Adekunle Aderibigbe said the extension of the domestic terminal waiting lounge, the Zulu Hall, started some few weeks ago, disclosing that the Alpha Hall has been extended some few years ago, but now, the government started the extension of the Zulu which when completed would have aviation clinic annex, elevator for passenger use, comfortable space for checked-in travellers and a space for aged and nursing mothers.

“In addition, the current lounge for the Very Important Persons (VIPs) and government officials will be extended. Also, the screening areas will be extended for passenger facilitation at the screening areas. The total space for the sitting passengers at the departure hall will increase to 1054 from its less than present 500 capacity.

“When the project is completed, this terminal is going to be the largest domestic terminal airport in Nigeria with the sitting arrangement and some other facilities that will come onboard. Presently, we have two screening areas and two different screening machines, but with more space, the screening area to Zulu, will increase by additional two or three, making it five screening points and machines for the passengers,” Aderibigbe said.

He said one of the major reasons for the terminal expansion is to create more comfort to the travelling public, disclosing that FAAN management, led by the Managing Director, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu came who was appointed few years ago, discovered that the Zulu Hall was too small to accommodate the influx of passengers to the terminal.

“The MD on inspection at times, will see some of the passengers standing, while some of the nursing mothers will be seen carrying their babies in their hands when the facility is stretched at the peak period. So, the management felt it was necessary to increase the ambience for the travelling public and other users of our facilities, which we have commenced now.

“After the completion of this project, the sitting arrangement will be enhanced and members of the public, too, will enjoy all the facilities that are coming onboard after its completion. Also, the cooling system will be enhanced for all users,” the Terminal Manager said.

Terminal Building Expansion

The General Secretary, Aviation Round Table (ART) and former Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Group Capt John Ojikutu (rtd),said each of the aviation agencies should have Research and Development (R&D) Department, which couldbe used to get the passenger traffic for the airports, noting that they department would study passenger movement and know whether passenger traffic is increasing or decreasing and make recommendation on infrastructure expansion.

“Is the traffic improving or declining? I think apart from the waiting lounge expansion, FAAN should be thinking about expanding the terminal building at the local airport. What FAAN want to do is good for the system, but whatever they do should be in consonance with the passenger growth. They should do something that can last us for more than 10 years. It should not be two years or five years development.

“Don’t forget that the waiting lounge is for passengers and the terminal hall needs to be enhanced, too.  The arrival and departure passengers should be considered in doing this, while the number of boarding gates should also be increased. On completion, the terminal will still ease passenger movement. However, I want to commend the FAAN management for the initiative, but, like I said earlier, plans should also be made to increase the domestic terminal building at the Lagos airport,” Ojikutu said.

Director of Research, Zenith Travels, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, said that it was a good move for FAAN to plan the expansion of terminal facility in as more airlines are coming in to join the market. 

He remarked that there is discomfort, delays and rescheduling of flights due to inadequate capacity at the local wing of the Lagos airport. 

“I think it is a good move for FAAN; they need to expand the waiting lounge to cope with the expansion and bring comfort to passengers. This will further reduce anxiety of the early morning flight delays. I support this move and again, it shows that the previous ministers and FAAN managing directors didn’t look at the future with the expansion and remodeling that have taken place in recent years in the industry. 

“For instance, look at the new terminal at the international airport and the bringing down of buildings to make way for the ramp of the new international terminal, it shows poor planning. I want to say that those who have taken poor decisions in the interest of the country in the past and cost us extra money and pain to correct the mistakes of the pastshould be sanctioned,” he said.

A passenger who was travelling through the GAT terminal who identified herself as Sandra Emokpe commended FAAN for starting the project and said that although the expansion was really overdue but it was good the agency had embarked on remodeling and expanding the terminal.

“This will be nice for the travelling public if it is done and done well. It will create more space and comfort for the passengers and other users of the terminal. With this, passenger facilitation will be boosted, while delays will also reduce at the terminal.

“I think it is a good job that FAAN management is trying to put together and I hope that it will be done appropriately. Also, the government too should support FAAN and give the management the adequate support it requires to get the job done as planned,” she said.