Port Harcourt airport nearly unsafe for flight operations — Key players

KEY players across the aviation sector have raised the alarm over the unsafe status of the Port Harcourt  International Airport.

Speaking at a two-day industry engagement on the review of accident reports organized by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in Abuja recently, the majority of stakeholders at the event, particularly pilots, raised concerns over the numerous laxity confronting the airport in question.

Listing many of the deficiencies which may spell doom for flight operations, if not urgently tackled, some of the pilots and other core professionals cited how herds of cows still take over the Port Harcourt runway which makes flight into the airport at nights and early mornings risky.

Equally, the many trees around the airport have also made it dangerous to fly.

The unclear marking and lack of lights at the central runway of the airport was another deficiency that key players said have made the airport a near ‘no go area’ for flight operations.

Corroborating the positions of the pilots, a member of Aviation Round Table, Group Captain John Ojikutu wondered why the Port Harcourt airport had not been closed because of these dangerous deficiencies.

According to a pilot who asked for anonymity to avoid being victimized; “When last did the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) conduct an audit on the airport in question. Port Harcourt airport is a no go area’ for flights. It’s an airport surrounded by trees, cows sitting on the threshold of the airport runway at 3 am with no light at the airport runway. I don’t know why the airport is still not closed.”

The deficiencies at the airport had been blamed on the NCAA and the failure of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for allowing the airport to still continue despite not being certified.

Participants at the event have unanimously agreed that there were serious safety lapses at the airport.

The key players after serious debates have called on the government through the relevant aviation agencies to urgently look into the lapses before an avoidable disaster happens.

Reacting to the non-certification of the Port Harcourt airport, the general manager of Airworthiness and Standards at the NCAA, Mr. Godwin Balang said the issue of certification is not peculiar to Nigeria, saying efforts were ongoing to tackle the challenges.

Balang however, said situations at the airport was not that bad.

Among the foreign airlines still operating to the airport include; Air France and Lufthansa.

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