The Federal Government has ordered Arik Air and Virgin Nigeria to move their domestic operations to the domestic terminal following the expiration of time given to the two airlines at mid-night yesterday.
With this directive, the two airlines will now operate their domestic and regional flights from the new domestic terminal, MMA2, while they park their aircraft at the apron of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT).
Virgin Nigeria has however kicked against the order. In a statement made available to THISDAY, the airline said that the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos yesterday restrained the Federal Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) and other relevant agencies from relocating Virgin Nigeria�s domestic operations pending the determination on notice of the order brought before the court.
But Arik Air said last night that it would comply with the directive. The airline in a statement by its Head of Communications, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, said its efforts to move to the new domestic terminal, MM2, was frustrated by the owners, Bi-Courtney.
Ogunleye said: �Up till now, negotiations between Arik Air and Bi-Courtney are yet to be completed. The contract negotiations, including the wording of the contract are being concluded. We had thought that the normal thing would be for us to have concluded negotiations and signed the contract before moving in.
�However, since the relevant authorities have asked us to move out, we are bound to comply.
�In the interim, we are moving our Abuja and Port Harcourt flights from the International Airport to the old domestic terminal from tomorrow morning.�
In a joint press conference , the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government said, �The directive given by the Federal Government of Nigeria to airlines operating domestic schedule flights from the international terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos to relocate to the domestic terminals of the airport expires tonight.�
On whether the new terminal (MMA2) would be able to accommodate the domestic operation of the two airlines, the Managing Director of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, Mr. Alex van Elk, said that the terminal has enough facilities to accommodate them.
He noted that MMA2 has enough checking desks, six fingers, four boarding gates and other facilities to provide adequate services to the airlines, adding that Bi-Courtney is already expanding the apron to accommodate all the airlines in the near future.
Virgin Nigeria however said that in granting the exparte order, Justice Ibrahim Auta of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi referred to the Memorandum of Mutual undertaking (MMU) which recognises that Virgin Nigeria has a legal right to carry out domestic, regional and international flight operations from its hub at Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Recently, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and the Committee on Airport security appointed by the Federal Government and headed by Capt Shehu Iyal, the Special Assistant to the President on Aviation Matters, said that the aforementioned airlines carrying out their domestic operations at the international wing of the airport expose the country to security and safety risks.They noted that international passengers with criminal intentions could capitalise on the domestic operation to carry out obnoxious and nefarious activities. At the conference, FAAN said it has already developed the second departure control for screening of international passengers, stating that three Immigration desks, two screening machines and offices for all security agencies are in place at the airport to enhance smooth international passengers� facilitation at the airport.
Managing Director of FAAN, Richard Aiseubeogun assessing the situation, added that the authority understands the plight of the passengers with regards to the abrupt change to the domestic wing but assured that things will workout well in the next couple of days. �At this embryonic stage we are going to have some unusual problems, I don�t want to use the word chaotic, but within a few days the flying public will get the best. Just to assure the general flying public, we have met with all the security agencies, the SSS, NDLEA, Nigerian Customs, Immigration and they have assured of their cooperation and support for smooth facilitation of passengers�, he said .
Feb12008