The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi, has said private jet flights are the fastest growing in the aviation industry.
Uriesi, who spoke at the opening of the General Aviation Terminal (Private and chartered aircraft terminal) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, on Monday, said the agency had concluded plans to build five additional private jet terminals across the country.
This, he said, would be sited in Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Yola.
The managing director, in a speech presented at the opening, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, said the new GAT in Abuja would help the agency to process scheduled (private and chartered jet travellers) and non-scheduled passengers (commercial aircraft travellers) at separate terminals.
He said, “Private jet flights experienced the largest growth in the two years. All over the world, they give private jet operators their own terminals because they are commercially important people. These are people who want to make a better use of their time by going on private jets instead of experiencing delays associated with boarding the regular commercial flight.
“The Abuja GAT is part of the vision to create a one-stop shop for our private jet customers. They will be transported by Limo from the terminal to the foot of the aircraft. We will charge them moderate fees.”
Uriesi said the Abuja GAT marked the commencement of general aviation services at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport since its inception in the early 1980s, even though it is the second busiest airport in the country, after the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
According to him, the Abuja airport has had to contend with decaying infrastructure and obsolete facilities that belie its position as the second busiest in the country, apart from being situated in the nation’s capital city.
He said, “What was then the airport’s domestic terminal operated both scheduled and non-scheduled flights using the same tarmac and terminal facilities. The resultant congestion did not augur well for efficient service, hence the need to separate the services into two terminals. Domestic flight operations were transferred to a wing of the international while the old domestic terminal was to be remodelled to serve as the General Aviation Terminal, for more efficient service delivery.”
The FAAN MD explained that the new arrangement was made possible by the advent of airport remodelling project initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said, “Work on the remodelling of this new General Aviation Terminal started in October, 2010 and was completed early this month. The project entailed the expansion of the old domestic terminal and its conversion to a general aviation terminal for non-scheduled flights. The new terminal has a full complement of modern terminal facilities including check-in counters, shops, offices, duty rooms, conference centre, dining room, kitchen, security screening machines and lounges, including a separate lounge for pilots.”
He said, “By today’s opening, scheduled and non-scheduled flights at the Abuja Airport will take place at two different terminals, creating opportunities for huge improvement in service delivery by FAAN and other service providers in the aviation industry.
“It is our hope that the completion of the first and second phases of the airport remodelling project will transform Nigerian airports into a haven for viable private investments. We hereby invite all well meaning investors to join hands with government to hasten the fulfilment of this dream.”
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