Cautious optimism for MMIA runway after 10-month closure

The runway was shut down for five weeks for routine maintenance but 10 months after, it has remained shut, fueling concerns among stakeholders and users of the facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Daily Trust reports.  The MMIA remains the busiest airport in Nigeria and the hub for both domestic and international […]

The runway was shut down for five weeks for routine maintenance but 10 months after, it has remained shut, fueling concerns among stakeholders and users of the facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Daily Trust reports. 

The MMIA remains the busiest airport in Nigeria and the hub for both domestic and international airlines. The airport has two runways being utilised for the smooth take-off and landing of aircraft with the first runway, known as 18R 36L, serving the international traffic while the second runway, 18L 36 R, serves the domestic operations. 

For many airlines in Nigeria, especially the domestic carriers, it would be difficult to forget in a hurry how the absence of airfield lighting (AFL) and other components hindered the full utilisation of the domestic runway for over 14 years until late 2022 when the AFL was fixed. 

The AFL equipment installed at the time comprised approach lights, Runway Lights (Threshold and Centre, edge lights and others which effectively returned the runway to full 24/7 operations. 

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Following the installation of the airfield lighting equipment at the domestic runway, the international runway (18R) was shut down for a five-week maintenance while the international traffic was diverted to the domestic runway which is now fully serviceable with a full complement of the AFL and other facilities for 24-hour operation. 

With the diversion of international traffic, it means that both domestic and international flights would make use of the 18L which is 2,700 meters in length and shorter than the 18L of about 3,900 metres which is the longest runway in Nigeria. 

Many foreign airlines complied with the directive despite the inconveniences they would create with the hope that in five weeks the runway would reopen. 

Given that most foreign airlines fly wide-bodied aircraft like the 777s, A380s, the 787 Dreamliner, the aircraft requires a longer taxiway before take-off because of its weight and the capacity it can absorb. 

However, with a shorter runway length, most of the big planes including freighter jets have been reducing their loads, leaving many seats empty to be able to use the shorter runway. 

A foreign airline operator who spoke with our correspondent said, “The delay in reopening Runway 18R is a big inconvenience for the big airlines. Airlines to the USA operate under weight restrictions. 

“They depart with empty seats that could have been sold but they couldn’t sell them due to weight restrictions.” 

Also, cargo flights are said to be finding it increasingly difficult to taxi for a longer time to the cargo section after landing at the airport. 

Daily Trust reports that in the course of the maintenance works on the runway, the airfield lighting system was stolen, raising concerns about the porosity of the international airport. 

The incident which happened in July 2023 saw several electric cables connected to the airfield lighting equipment carted away from the runway with stakeholders suggesting it had internal collaboration. 

Following the theft, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) acting on the directive of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation,  suspended no fewer than three Senior officials including the Head of Aviation Security (AVSEC) at the international wing. 

A committee was set up to carry out the investigation, saying the outcome of the probe would determine the next action to be taken but the outcome of the probe is yet to be made known. 

However, another foreign airline source said, “The runway was shut down before the stealing of Airfield Lighting occurred. The maintenance was just on the runway, not on the light.” 

The stakeholder who decried the loss of the AFL equipment said this was the genesis of the prolonged closure of the runway, stating that using a single runway at the airport is not good enough. 

“During the period of heavy traffic, it could add to the delay because we are using one runway for both ends. But when you have two runways working, it reduces the number of landings and departures you carry out at some particular points in time.” 

President of the Association of Foreign Airlines’ Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma said that it was not good that two runways have never worked simultaneously in Lagos. 

“The truth is that we have never had two runways working simultaneously which is not good and safety is key in everything we do in aviation. In other climes, they even have more than two runways. When you put so much load on a particular runway, it is not good. 

“The foreign airlines would want a situation where the two runways are working simultaneously and working effectively as par safety standards. The FAAN MD has spoken, hopefully, we hope she walks her talk so that we can have this runway working and we can just hope that comes to fruition on time.” 

Nwokoma said the continued closure of the runway has led to the loss of huge revenues to the airlines and the agencies themselves. 

“The earlier the runway is sorted out the better for everybody, better for safety, better for the airlines, both local and international. We just want a situation where everything is done as par world standard. Foreign airlines are coming here, they should get the standard they enjoy outside the country. We can’t continue to complain about a particular thing over and over again. Hopefully, they should look into this and get it done once and for all.’’ 

AFL equipment theft not closed 

The AFARN President noted that there must be a closure to the theft of the airfield lighting equipment.  “Responsibility is key. Any incident that happens, we need to close it. Closing it means we need to know how it happens and you also look at corrective measures so that it does not happen again. So any incident that is not closed, means there is a problem, the earlier the incident is looked into and closed the better for the industry,” he added. 

Also, the Chairman/CEO of Westlink Airlines, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia, expressed concern over the delay in the reopening of the runway, saying it doesn’t show seriousness on the part of the airport operators. 

“Now we are almost approaching another March. In two months we should be in another March 2024 and the runway is still not open. It’s just very sad. I don’t know what to say but it just does not show that there is any seriousness in what we do here. 

“These airlines are now having to use one runway. Do you know the amount of money people waste to utilize one runway in Lagos? There is a lot of congestion, pressure on air traffic controllers and other service providers. NAMA is suffering from stress. Airlines are suffering the stress, even service providers, who have to now move all the way to the other side just to be able to provide the service, they are going through stress. 

“So for people to say you are closing the runway and opening in five weeks and they do nothing, I just don’t know what to say. It just shows that we don’t care. Cavalier attitude towards business is not acceptable in this clime but this is what we see ourselves doing.” 

FAAN rekindles hope of early reopening  

Our correspondent understands that the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, has given the new management of FAAN the mandate to fix the runway as soon as possible. It was gathered that the FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku has in turn mandated the Engineering Directorate to expedite work on the new runway towards its early reopening. 

Mrs. Kuku early this week told newsmen that work has been intensified at the runway and it would be reopened soon though she provided no timeline. 

She stated that the FAAN had a meeting with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on its reopening plans, while the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other critical stakeholders are also being carried along. 

She said: “The 18R runway, we did have some delays actually; coming on board, we have asked the contractors to return to site immediately and we also engaged the AON and informed them of our plans to reopen the runway because we will be opening. We have coordinated and engaged with NAMA as well as NCAA of our plans to actually open that runway. 

“So, we should expect it to be re-opened very soon. This is planned for the next few weeks. We are keeping our fingers crossed. I know that our stakeholders have been written, we are working very closely together to reopen it. Expect that it won’t be as long as you have waited. I do understand that the initial plans for that runway were six weeks. We will do our best.” 

Until it is finally reopened, stakeholders say the inconveniences to the operators and the losses of revenues would continue.