The re-opening of Runway 18 Right of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has led to enhanced performance by foreign airlines coming into the airport.
FAAN also said that this has also led to elimination of flight delays and disruptions to operations by the airlines.
Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, the Managing Director of FAAN, stated this on Thursday in Lagos in an interview with some aviation journalists.
She assured the travelling public of utmost safety, security and comfort within any of the nation’s airports, stressing that contrary to some reports, the runway had been operating efficiently after it was re-opened in February 2024.
Statistics obtained from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency’s (NAMA) Air Traffic Control Services, confirmed that a total of 4,610 international landings and take-offs occurred on Runway 18R between April and May, 2024.
Kuku explained that FAAN’s management team had been diligently maintaining the runway and all other runways under their watch per regulatory requirements and industry standards.
She maintained that since the President Bola Tinubu administration, there had been a renewed determination to improve the infrastructure at all the airports.
She said: “As the incident commander of FAAN, safety as a unit has a General Manager who reports directly to me. We have put measures in place such that any issues that could potentially render a runway unserviceable are taken very seriously and acted on immediately.
“Our officers regularly carry out runway inspections, keep maintenance schedules and ensure all safety protocols are meticulously followed to ensure that all runways meet the global standards for safe aircraft operations.
“It is essential to note that FAAN is bound by strict regulatory frameworks, national and international, that dictate the conditions under which a runway can be deemed unserviceable. Runway serviceability inspections are conducted regularly, and any discrepancies are promptly addressed to maintain the operational integrity of the airfield.”
She vowed that as the Chief Executive of FAAN, no expense would be spared to ensure the safety of personnel and assets at al the airports, as well as maintenance and upgrade of airport infrastructure.
The Runway 18R was reopened for flight operations on February 17, 2024 after it was shut down for maintenance on the on March 11, 2023.
Since it reopening, the runway had been serviceable and operational with full compliments of runway lighting and features in compliance to Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations and Standards (NCARs).
