Passengers have continued to be stranded at the nation’s airports following flight disruptions occasioned by the strange weather, which surfaced two days ago in Lagos and some other parts of the country.
The windy and dusty weather was still on in most parts of the country yesterday.
Flights were either delayed or cancelled outright at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) 2 as a result of the strange weather, leaving passengers flustered.
In the meantime, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, in a statement last night said the Nigerian Airspace Mana-gement Agency (NAMA) would close airports affected by the weather to flight arrivals and departures when the runway visual range is measured at less than 800 metres.
He said pilots must be prepared to postpone flights or divert to alternate airports to ensure safety of passengers.
“The airlines and their flights crews should keep passengers informed of the situation and of the potential for flights delays and possible cancellations. Safety considerations must always be
the highest priority,” he said.
According to him, pilots should carefully review the procedures for their operation whenever a forecast shows that reduced visibility or other adverse weather conditions might exist for any portion of the flight.
NCAA has also warned pilots in the country to adhere to the weather reports provided by the Nigerian Meteoro-logical Agency (NIMET) for safe take-off and landing.
When THISDAY visited MMA 2 and old MMA Local Wing yesterday, travellers were everywhere with their luggage, waiting for the flights that had either been delayed or cancelled.
Some passengers were heard complaining loudly while some others were making trouble with the airlines following the development.
It was learnt that from about noon, there was no flight arrival or departure at the airport.
Other airports affected by the weather condition included Gombe, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Yola and Calabar.
A lot of passengers were seen queuing at Aero Contractor Airline’s counter at the airport either to book for future flights or to re-confirm their flights, which had been rescheduled for today following the bad weather.
Some of the passengers said they were due to have travelled since Friday but could not do so as a result of the bad weather.
An airline official, who spoke to THISDAY, said the reason for the cancellation was just the bad weather and that the cancellation or rescheduling of flights was not limited to the airline alone.
The hazy weather makes it difficult for pilots to land their aircraft or take off, as it reduces their visibility.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has urged asthma patients and those with respiratory problems to stay indoors or cover their noses with wet handkerchiefs as they go out during the sudden change of weather condition in the state.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, gave this advice in a statement, stating that the weather condition “is hazardous for asthma patients and people with respiratory diseases”.
Banire, however, urged Lagosians to remain calm, saying it “is just another manifestation of change in the climate condition”.
According to him, what “is being experienced is the delayed harmattan wind that was supposed to have blown in December/January that is coming now”.
He said samples taken yesterday showed high level of particulate matters in the air.
He noted that the North-east wind that blows across the Sahara Desert carries with it a lot of dust and the weather is very humid.
Any rainfall any moment from now, according to him, may have muddy particles; as such the public is advised not to use it for human consumption. That is for cooking or direct drinking.
Banire said the public would be kept abreast of developments in that direction and constantly advised on steps to take for general safety.