The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has given the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN) a rap across the knuckles for shutting down Runway 18L at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos for rehabilitation while work has not commenced, one week after.
The association also frowned at the agency’s decision to close the facility to traffic without any consultation with the critical stakeholders.
In a letter entitled ‘Closure of Runway 18L at Murtala Muhammed Airport’ and addressed to the FAAN managing director, Capt. Hamisu Yadudu, the association commended FAAN for its effort to install runway lighting on Runway 18L but noted with disappointment that “Runway 18L has been closed for a week now, with no evidence of any work going on.”
It stated that the closure of the facility “has led to a chain of direct flight delays on a daily basis, impacting the entire system of scheduled domestic flights in the country.”
Besides, AON frowned that FAAN took the action without consulting the critical stakeholders.
“International best practice for such critical airfield infrastructure projects is for the airport operator to enter into discussions with all affected parties, to arrive at an optimal arrangement that allows the work to be done, while limiting the inconvenience, economic impact and safety implications on all concerned.”
The statement:
“The AON received with surprise, the NOTAM of 5th July, 2022 informing the industry that FAAN would be closing the domestic runway (18L) of MMA from 08 July 2022, for a period of 90 days. With such short notice, we note sadly that FAAN then went ahead to close the runway, causing unsustainable additional operating costs and severely inconveniencing the airlines and passengers.
“In light of this, we raise the following critical issues for your urgent attention:
1. The AON welcomes the effort by FAAN to install runway lighting on Runway 18L, at last. However, international best practice for such critical airfield infrastructure projects is for the airport operator to enter into discussions with all affected parties, to arrive at an optimal arrangement that allows the work to be done, while limiting the inconvenience, economic impact and safety implications on all concerned. In this instance, FAAN failed to do this.
2. FAAN is aware of the current existential threat of runaway aviation fuel prices to the domestic airlines. The closure of the main domestic runway of MMA automatically adds an additional 10-15% more fuel costs per sector into and out of MMA, based on the additional flight and taxi time incurred as a result. The airlines have already felt these additional costs within the first week of the closure of the runway. This unnecessary burden is unsustainable for a 3-month period on the airlines.
3. The closure of Runway 18L has led to a chain of direct flight delays on a daily basis, impacting the entire system of scheduled domestic flights in the country. FAAN is aware that most domestic flights originate from or pass through MMA at some point every day. This is an unnecessary additional negative outcome for the industry.
4. AON contends that in line with international best practice, runways of airports are only closed when there is no other option. For infrastructure projects such as this one on 18L, to limit the impact on flight operations, FAAN ought to have ensured that the contractor does the work at night, when the runway is not in use. If there is an absolute need for work to be done during daylight hours, then agreement should have been reached with the runway users on what time window would allow this.
5. For the major airport in Nigeria, AON notes with disappointment that Runway 18L has been closed for a week now, with no evidence of any work going on. Yet the airlines have been burdened with huge but unnecessary additional costs and flight delays. Surely this situation is not in the best interests of the industry.
6. Moreover, the additional taxi time due to closure of runway 18L impacts negatively on airlines schedule to sunset airports around the country leading to delays and cancellation of flights to these airports.
“Given the above critical concerns, AON implores the management of FAAN to urgently review this closure of Runway 18L and enter into discussion with the users of the runway on a procedure for the project, that limits both the cost impact on airlines as well as disruption to normal flight operations.
“AON hereby requests FAAN to convene an urgent stakeholders’ consultation meeting, to achieve the above. AON assures FAAN of our commitment to partnering with FAAN to install the long overdue runway lighting on Runway 18L, in line with accepted international best practice.
“We look forward to urgent feedback from FAAN.”
