Curfew hinders resumption of International flights to PH - FAAN

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said the curfew which was put in place by the Rivers State government to check insecurity has hindered the resumption of international flights to the Port Harcourt International Airport.

This disclosure was made by the authority's Regional General Manager for the South-South and South-east in charge of the airport, Mr. Felix Akinbinu.

According to him, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had granted the approval for international flights to resume in the state following the lifting of restrictions, however, the curfew imposed by the state government is making it impossible for that to happen.

In April, the Rivers State Government imposed a state-wide curfew in all 23 local government councils to halt attacks on security agencies in the state. A statement at the time directed all human and vehicular to seize movement between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am from April 29 to further notice.

FAAN explained that most international fights took off in the night from various destinations and arrive at the airline’s hub in the morning where the passengers connecting flights to other destinations could do so, reports ThisDay Live.

Akinbinu said there has been some growth in passenger traffic since domestic flights resumed but noted that the airport would generate more revenue if international flights had resumed.

“There has been some growth in passenger traffic since the Covid-19 restrictions on domestic operations were lifted and we expect more. I can’t give the exact figures of passenger traffic but I can say for a fact that there has been an increase especially as more airlines are coming in.

“We have about seven airlines operating in Port Harcourt now and Ibom Air might be the eighth one. Air Peace and Arik operates twice to Lagos and twice to Abuja daily from here and more frequencies are coming in. With time, there would be even more increase because the airport has high potential. We have been given approval to resume international flights by NCAA but the foreign operators have refused to commence flights because of the curfew imposed by the Rivers State government. That is the only thing holding us down and nothing more”.