Nigerian airspace records 28,000 foreign flights – NAMA

Managing Director, NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh

Following the improved air navigation services within the nation’s airspace, there has been a tremendous increase in airspace movements in recent time.

A statement from the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority on Tuesday said a total of 28,165 overflights or foreign flights operated by 517 foreign airlines were recorded last year.

It added that the airlines were Group Air France, Ethiopia Airlines, Royal Maroc, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirate Airlines, British Airways Plc and Asky Airlines.

Others were Iberia-Lineasaereas de espana, Group Air Senegal (Senegal Airlines), Brussels Airlines, Ceiba International, Deutshe Lufthansa AG, Cameroon Airlines Corporation, Air Namibia, Egypt Air, KLM Royal Airlines, Qatar Airways, Trans Air Cargo and Cronos Airlines.

The statement said that during the period under review, 20 out of the 517 airlines accounted for 80 per cent of the aggregate overflight operations with an average of 1,879 flights per month.

The top five airlines are: Group Air France (3,505), Ethiopia Airlines (2,289), Royal Air Maroc (1,909), Kenya Airways (1,888) and South African Airways (1,859).

It added that the en-route international flight operations, which means all international flights into Nigerian airports sub-divided into scheduled and non-scheduled flight operations in the year under review, had a total of 41,081 en-route flights by 329 airlines.

Similarly, 26 scheduled airlines that operated in the Nigerian airports recorded 28,532 operations, which contributed 70 per cent to the aggregate operations.

It said, “The highest operation was in the month of December with 2,691 operations and the least recorded was in the month of February with 1,764 operations.

“Arik Air had 4,760 flights, which was the highest with 17 per cent contribution to the aggregate operations followed by Deuthsche Lufthansa with 2,481 flights and contribution of nine per cent to the operations.

“Groupe Air France had a total of 1,922 flights and seven per cent contribution; Ethiopia Airlines with 1,921 flights contributed seven per cent while the British Airways Plc recorded 1,706 and contributed six per cent.”

On the other hand, a total of 303 airlines operated under the non-scheduled flights, recording 12,549 flight operations representing 30 per cent contribution to the aggregate operations.

It added that the highest flight operations were recorded in the month of November with 1,226 flight operations and the least was recorded in the month of January with 851 flights.

The Managing Director, NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, described the development as a proof of positive result from the ongoing transformation agenda of the Federal Government in the aviation sector, especially the massive capital investment of more than N19bn on navigational facilities.

He said, “This is a sign of a healthy aviation environment; we are really happy with these figures, and it is contrary to the previous speculations that foreign airlines are not flying our airspace; we have done a lot to improve our services.

“I believe there will be a further increase this year because of the newly introduced area radar control, which we started in May this year.”

culled from Punch