FAAN, Bi-Courtney Meet, May Chart New Partnership

Chinedu Eze

After many years of animosity over concession agreement, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Mohammed, on Monday, met with the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2, Dr Wale Babalakin, in a historic interaction.

The duo in a high-level meeting held behind closed doors with the top echelons of BASL and FAAN, indicated that new partnership might be in the offing, as they discussed the future of the nation’s aviation sector.

Babalakin said the new development was a pleasant surprise and promised to explore the window to foreclose all pre-existing gaps.

According to him, “It has been a challenging 16 years of an undefined relationship with FAAN. I am positive that this meeting marks the beginning of a new era between BASL & FAAN.”
Babalakin said it was noteworthy to emphasise BASL’s commitment to sustainable investment and promotion of good governance and global best practices in the aviation sector.

“The industry clearly needs to be reengineered to bring the services and infrastructure standards to what is comparable elsewhere in the world with a clear focus on automation, passenger facilitation and comfort all over the country. Together with this renewed partnership, I assure you of our unequivocal commitment to the objective of building a virile aviation sector,” Babalakin added.

The meeting was preceded with a courtesy visit by the Senior Management Team of BASL, to the MD/CEO of FAAN, and his team.

In an unprecedented gesture, the FAAN boss, in the company of a select few of his team, reciprocated the visit by making an unscheduled visit to Babalakin, in his office.

The BASL official visit was led by its Acting Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Tosan Duncan Odukoya.