Experts in the nation’s aviation sector have demanded improved safety measures, revenue opportunity maximisation, passenger comfort, security and infrastructure standards improvement at airports across the country.
The experts under the aegis of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), in a meeting with the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, on Tuesday, urged FAAN to enforce the compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) signed between FAAN and concessionaires at the airports.
ASRTI led by its President, Air Cdr. Demola Onitiju (rtd), also sought for provision of better comfort for airport users, including the physically challenged passengers, who require separate facilities to access the terminal lounge.
Onitiju while speaking also demanded for regulation of concessionaires’ access to the newly commissioned terminals and a monitoring device to ensure that duty free shop operators sell only what they were granted FAAN approval to sell at the airports.
“In the interest of the health safety of travellers, who are consumers and standard international best practices, it is important for FAAN to evolve some certification processes and establish who is selling what among the retail shop operators,” Onitiju stated.
He also called for urgent action on the menace of rats at the new terminal of the Lagos airport, which equally constitutes a health hazard.
“The issue of establishing security fences at the airports in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)standards was emphasised and the need to relocate the Lagos airport toll gate and have two, such that there is an entry into and exit from the airport area, was proposed.
“Those driving into the airport road area would then pay a toll, but while exiting at the exit point, they don’t pay, and vice versa. This ASRTI believes would help FAAN revenue generation,” Onitiju stated.
Responding to ASRTI, the FAAN MD, Kuku, identified the contribution of ASRTI to the development of the aviation sector.
Kuku, however, stated that the ongoing infrastructure projects already incorporated the needs of physically challenged passengers and that a brand new elevator was already being installed, adding that the physically challenged passengers were being considered in the ongoing facilities upgrade plan.
She also noted that FAAN was already working on a revalidation process for concessionaires, as the Business Development Directorate was already reviewing the activities of retail shop operators to check standards, while the challenges of security at the cargo section was already being addressed by the Cargo Services Directorate.
She further stated that on assumption of office, there was a huge gap in fire simulator training for Airports Fire Personnel but that the personnel could confirm that the gap was being filled already.
On the dilapidated road, linking FAAN Training School to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Kuku said her leadership succeeded in getting the Lagos State Government to indicate interest in contributing to the road repairs, and that discussions were ongoing with both the State government and the federal government.
She added that some of the airport projects such as perimeter fencing of all the major airports were humongous projects, way beyond what FAAN’S Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) could carry and may require the federal government’s involvement.
She, however, stated that some aspects of the projects were already being done.