Anxiety in Nigeria’s aviation sector over closure of Niger Republic’s airspace

The closure of Niger Republic’s airspace has started taking its toll on foreign airlines operating into Nigeria, as the military junta in the crisis-ridden country has cut off the airspace.

The closure of the West African country’s airspace has affected foreign airlines flying into and out of the sub-region, forcing them to divert their flights, which may lead to fare increases on international routes.

The only Nigerian airline operating into Niamey, Air Peace, had already suspended flights into the country before the outbreak of the crisis.

The flight diversions have added to the operational costs of main foreign carriers and may equally lead to fare increases on international routes. As a result of the flight diversions, the airlines will not only suffer longer flying hours but also be forced to carry more fuel at an extra cost.

Information gathered by the Nigerian Tribune reveals that foreign airlines flying into Nigeria from Europe, America, Middle East, and even South African Airways are already affected by the airspace closure. However, Nigerian airlines have not been affected in any way.

Among the airlines already impacted by the closure are Emirates, South African Airways, British Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa. A key player in the sector stated that the foreign country’s airspace closure will affect flights heading to North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

To avoid a similar fate to British Airways, which had its flights to and from London hubs diverted, airlines are advised to take alternative routes. A security official in the sector advised that for flights heading to Europe, the best route is to head westwards for some time before heading north to Europe.

For flights going to the Far East and the Middle East, it is best to fly eastwards for some time before setting a course to destinations in the Middle and Far East. These alternative routes may add about one to two hours to the flying time on each route, resulting in increased fuel consumption and other operational costs, including air traffic control navigation costs.

All efforts made to get Nigeria’s aviation authorities to speak on the likely effect of the Niger Republic airspace closure on Nigeria did not yield any results, as they called for more patience.

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