More foreign airlines have started operating to and from the newly
commissioned terminals in Nnamdi Azikiwe and Port Harcourt
International airports.
The new development is coming shortly after Asky airline successfully
operated into the Abuja terminal on Sunday January 6, 2019 following
its commission on December 20, 2018 by President Mohammadu Buhari.
Other foreign airlines that have started operating to the new
terminals in Abuja and Port Harcourt are, Cronos, Ethiopia and
Lufthansa.
While Asky started with a three weekly flight to the Abuja new
terminal, Ethiopia airlines has followed with daily flight operation
on Thursday January 24, 2019.
Within 24hours, the newly commissioned terminal at Port Harcourt
International became fully operational; on Friday January 25, 2019
with the arrival of a flight operated by Cronos airline from Accra,
Ghana. This was followed by another flight operated by Lufthansa
airline from Frankfurt, Germany and Air France from Paris, France at
about 1900hrs.
Meanwhile, a passenger from Accra, Ghana created a funny scenario when
Cronos arrived from Accra Ghana and she refused to disembark from the
aircraft, saying the aircraft has not landed in Nigeria but in a wrong
airport. She insisted that she would not disembark until she was
prevailed upon by the flight crew, who convinced her that the flight
actually landed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Such is the beautiful ambience the new terminal has created that
passengers mistook it for an airport in another country.
“I heard the announcement when the pilot told us that we were
descending into Port Harcourt International Airport, for landing and I
also heard when he welcomed us to the airport, But my expectation was
beaten. As usual, I expected us to disembark on the apron and walked
into the ramshackle airport terminal with its deplorable equipment and
wait till God knows when for our luggage. But I was surprised to see
other passengers disembarking the aircraft moving into a very modern
airport terminal.
“I was confused and decided to remain in the aircraft until two of
the cabin crew came to inquire from me why i chose to remain in the
aircraft when every other passenger had disembarked. I told the crew
that I thought we had landed in another country from where we shall
continue with our journey to Nigeria, the crew who were amused by my
statement, however, explain to me that we are in the newly
commissioned international terminal building of Port Harcourt
Airport,” the excited Nigerian passenger explained.
It should be noted that Abuja airport is located on approximately
56,000sqm of land. It has an annual passenger capacity of 14m with
66 check-in counters, 5 baggage collection carousels, 16 immigration
desks at arrival, 28 immigration desks at departure, 8 security
screening points, 8 passenger boarding bridges plus remote boarding
and arrival; with only 2 having been installed yet. It also has two
food courts, 4 premium lounges, 22 guest rooms and spa, 16 airline
ticketing offices, visa on arrival and port health facility as well
as praying area. The airport has more than 3,000sqm of duty free space
and over 5,000sqm of lettable utility space.
The Port Harcourt International Airport which became operational in
1979 had its old terminal servicing the oil rich Niger Delta region
which comprises of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom
states.
Other South East region states, like Abia and Imo equally benefit from
the services of the Airport.
However, few years back the passenger traffic outgrew the old
terminal which was used for both international and domestic
operations, hence the need for expansion.
To this effect, the Federal Government of Nigeria on March 1, 2014
gave approval to Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for the
construction of a brand new terminal, the foundation for the new
terminal was laid on March 1, 2014.
The construction handled by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction
Company (CCECC) however spanned a period of four years,
giving birth to brand new terminal which was commissioned on 25th of
October, 2018 also by President Mohammadu Buhari.
Port Harcourt Airport located on approximately 27,000sqm of land, was
built to handle 5million passengers per annum. It has 24 check-in
counters, 12 installed now , three baggage collection carousels, one
installed now, 16 immigration desks at arrival, 8 passport control
desks at departure, 4 passenger boarding bridges plus remote boarding
and arrival however only 1 installed yet, two food courts, 4 premium
lounges and spa
airline ticketing offices, duty free space and lettable utility space.
