Better days are surely ahead of residents in Ibadan and its environs as the airport is bound to witness an upsurge in business activities with the commencement of flight operations to the airport by Air Peace, the largest airline in the country.
Prior to now, Ibadan Airport had been categorised as one of the unviable airports in view of the near zero activities at the airport despite its long years of existence and its strategic position.
For sometime, only Overland Airways was operating to the Ibadan Airport which has not met the adequate yearnings of the residents and people living in the environs owing to the large population of people and activities abound.
For people living in the area, it has been a hellish journey of having to travel through dangerous roads to Lagos airport to catch flights to places like Abuja or better still take road transport to Abuja due to the non presence of airlines except Overland.
Ibadan airport which happens to be one of the airports of the federal government, and being managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at a period almost fell under the category of wasteful public entities as airlines shunned the airport despite the large concentrations of notable citizens including business establishment and vibrant political class.
Obviously, all these discomforts will be taken care of with the commencement of flights by Air Peace which of course will greatly reduce the sufferings of the citizens of the state particularly those who are lovers of air travels.
In making this a reality, history will be kind to Air Peace for expanding its operations to the South Western state, the state government and particularly the efforts of Senator Kola Balogun, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Oyo South, who has been in the forefront of the upgrade of the airport.
Definitely, the commencement of flights by Air Peace to Ibadan Airport will not only further open up the state and increase its economy, it will help in facilitating the hitherto yearnings of the state government and the likes of Senator Balogun for the airport to be upgraded to international standard.
Like the state government, Senator Balogun had in the past sponsored bills on the need to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to International entity with modern facilities which was co-sponsored by 37 other lawmakers during a plenary session.
Regular flights from Ibadan Airport to other parts of the country will attract economic growth both locally and internationally and encourage seamless air travel at a time road transportation has become suicidal as a result of insecurity and bad roads.
For sure, the decision of Air Peace to choose Ibadan Airport as one of its routes will not be regretted in view of the presence of existing institutions and establishments like the University of Ibadan, University College Hospital and many other businesses that require fast means of transportation which air travels provide to achieve their mission.
Ibadan Airport will join the few other viable airports with the presence of Air Peace, therefore, the state government and other notable citizens of the state should do everything possible to keep the airline coming.
Air Peace is an airline that the state will not regret partnering for different reasons ranging from good and reliable aircraft in its fleet, its resilience as it continues operations against all odds, its love for ensuring the total linking of major parts of the country and even outside the shores of the land through its route expansion policy.
While it is believed that Air Peace will go a long way in fulfilling its own side of the deal, the state government needs to work with the federal government through FAAN to make the airport facilities more friendly and encourage its citizens to travel by air as these are the only reasons that can keep state government/Air Peace deal intact.
The air travel deal between the airline and the government will surely put the present governor and politicians like Senator Balogun in the good record of the people of the state in view of the amazing leisure and value for money spent they are about to experience in the services the airline will render through the modern aircraft it will deploy on the route and the far reaching benefits a regular flight operations will bring to the state and the citizens.
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