FAAN Suspends Extension Time to Airlines Operating to Sunset Airports Across Nigeria

Chinedu Eze

The Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Yadudu has announced the suspension of extending time for flights that wish to land at the airports without airfield lighting or not approved to operate in the night due to safety and security considerations.

Many airports in the country do not have runway lights so flights do not land or take off from these airports after 6:00 or 6:30 pm, but sometimes airlines seek from the authorities the extension of the time beyond 6:00 pm so they can operate flight to some of these airports, known as sunset airports.

But FAAN said it has stopped extending such time and has also held meeting with sister agency, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and both have resolved to adopt the new operating standards policy by ending flight operation extension to sunset airports across the country

Yadudu made this known in Lagos at the Airports, Airlines Business Summit and Expo (AABSE 2022) organised by NIGAV with the theme, ‘Fixing the Broken Link’, stating that airlines must now work within their confines as no approvals for extension will be granted willy-nilly, except on special cases.

He said that the decision would have to expose the airlines with poor Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which have the knack to delay flights, but also noted that this decision could be reviewed anytime.