Lagos airport's runway to remain closed for three months so air field lights can be installed

DOMESTIC flights in and out of the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos face severe disruption as the runway will be closed for the next three months to facilitate repairs and the installation of air field lighting.

Due to the closure, local airlines will use the runway of the nearby international airport for landing and take-off during the period. Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (Faan) spokeswoman Mr Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, said  they have meetings with airline operators, where the timeframe and modalities were communicated.

Mrs Hope-Ivbaze, said:  “As part of efforts aimed at improving safety and efficiency of flight operations at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has concluded arrangements to complete the installation of CAT III Airfield Ground Lighting system on Runway 18L/36R. The project, which will commence effectively on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for 90 days.

“Consequently, Runway 18L/36R will be closed to flight operations during this time, however, stakeholders are to note that there will be no disruption. All normal flight operations will be conducted through runway 18R/36L.

Roland Iyayi, a former managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (Nama) and the chief executive of Topbrass Aviation Services, added:  “With the closure of the domestic runway, you have additional delays of traffic, inbound and outbound-Lagos both domestic and international. For the domestic carriers, that will mean additional costs in terms of fuel.

"International flights will not be pretty much affected because they have a scheduled arrival time. To a large extent, they don’t necessarily expect undue delays, if you know the peak periods for international flights, between early mornings and late evenings, so with more flights coming in the evenings and going out late nights, I expect a minimal impact to be on the international airlines.

"However, the domestic carriers will be the ones that will bear it more because it’ll mean that they have to taxi all the way from domestic to international and that’s an additional cost of fuel. The holding time and of course taxing time, all these things add up to cost and that’s the problem the carriers will have to face.”

Kingsley Nwokeoma, the president of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, said: “Apparently, we should always have in mind that the runways are major operational facilities and if you notice, we have always had runway issues. Most times you don’t see the two runways being functional and the functionality is key because it is every airline’s dream to have a runway that is not being overused.

“The major effect will be that both the international and the local carriers will be using one particular runway and this is not operationally healthy. Hopefully, we pray that Faan and Nama fix this on time and very well.”