Mitigating Challenges of Flight Delays, Cancellations

Chinedu Eze

Heads of aviation agencies have suggested new measures on how to mitigate the challenges of poor airport infrastructure and limited personnel that led to flight delays and cancellations in 2024.

The industry stakeholders gave the suggestions at a meeting held in December 2024, organised at the instance of the acting Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo.

That forum offered opportunities for the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, to address the challenges of the agency and other collaborating agencies in order to have seamless and safe flight operations in and out of any airports in the country.

The airlines face the challenge of bird strike, daylight airports, delays in passenger screening and sometimes delays in baggage delivery. These problems can be solved by having adequate personnel, the right equipment to reduce the flocking of birds at the airports and modernisation of airport facilities.

Kuku, at the beginning of her speech regretted of the many shortcomings that happened at the airport last year and attributed them to FAAN; just as flight delays are attributed to airlines.

She however observed that one of the factors that gave rise to flight delays in 2024, was the inability of some airlines to have effective communication with FAAN.

“I do want to say that we have had quite a number of pressing issues within our airport environment. And of course, as you know, anything that happens at the airport is FAAN. It does not matter what it is, it is FAAN. So we take responsibility, but it is not just about taking responsibility, as I mentioned, it is collaboration and solutions. I have had some of the airlines who communicate better than others. I think the critical challenge we are having is more around communication,” she said.

“There are sunset airports. These are airports that do not have night landing facilities or there are night landing facilities but there are inadequate personnel to extend services in the night or FAAN cannot buoy the cost of extending such services because airlines may not be able to pay for the huge cost; like running generators with the high cost of diesel.

“What this means is that there is really no hope that some airports will ever operate in the night in Nigeria because of the cost of doing so; unless under a concessionaire. The cost is so huge that even state-owned airports like Uyo and Asaba, which are doing well, relatively, are reluctant to light their fields in the night for landing; unless under special arrangements,” Kuku further said.

However, Kuku said that agreements could be reached in some circumstances where airlines could be allowed to operate to some airports in the night.

“This will drastically reduce the number of cancelled flights. The main reason why some flights are cancelled is because daylight or sunset airports cannot receive flights after 6:00 to 6:30 pm. We engaged the AON (Airline Operators of Nigeria) in August (last year). We had our meeting, and I believe it was August 13th, where we spoke extensively about the sunrise, sunset airports and what we can do to support you. We ask that you come back with the priority airports where we can potentially extend and put in some investments.

“And also make sure that between FAAN and NAMA (Nigeria Airspace Management Agency), we are able to put in the right resources. Because some of the reasons why we close the secondary airports early, outside the issue of light, it is not just the airfield lighting, it is the manpower as well. Because where we have to keep an airport open for additional hours for one flight, we can plan better. So we can know that three airlines are coming in to the same destination within a two-hour, three-hour timeframe and make sure that you have AVSEC (Aviation Security) on ground, you have our operations team on ground and we are better coordinated. I do want to say that we are all aware of the frustration that passengers have. And while those frustrations manifest into inappropriate behavior, the inappropriate behavior should not and will not be tolerated,”Mrs. Kuku said.

In other words, Kuku agreed with airlines that the later should list the airports of their priority so that FAAN will equipment them with critical facilities and deploy enough personnel to enable such airports operate hours into the night.

Kuku reiterated that lack of communication between the airlines and FAAN management contribute in some of the delays, noting that some airlines do not have specific schedule time they can communicate to FAAN.

“You may have had delays during the day, but we have nothing to communicate to the passengers. A lot of times, even the airline staff at the check-in gates do not have the data. And we have all been accused, I say we, because we are all stakeholders in this industry,” Kuku said.

Also, she regretted that the airlines were not ahead of information management. She said rather, the passengers, not adequately informed, run to the social media to feed the public wrong information and urged the airlines to ensure they are in control of the information emanating from them.

“If the flight is not going to take off today and it is tomorrow, let them know at three o’clock. Not that I have waited at the airport till 7, 8, 9 p.m., especially for people who may not have homes to return to or airports where they are actually outside of the city center. So we understand your challenges.

“We understand, yes, there are operational issues, there is declining fleet in some instances, there is weather, but better collaboration, communication, information, and planning is important. I have two airlines. Those two airlines are in constant communication with us,” the FAAN boss said.

Kuku admitted there were limitations in terms of infrastructure but emphasised on how airlines and FAAN could effectively manage the situation despite these limitations.

But one could get a signal, blaming the airlines despite acknowledging the limitations of the airports. For example, Benin, Enugu and Owerri have airfield lighting, which are not put into use. Airlines, it was learnt, may not have the update as quickly as FAAN management would like to have it; therefore, it behooves the agency to also make adjustments to mitigate the challenges.