British Airways Joins the list of foreign airlines refusing to utilize Kaduna Airport during the Abuja’s Nmandi Azikiwe International (NAIA), airport runway rehabilitation.

Despite Nigerian government assurances, the number of foreign airlines rejecting the option of flying into Kaduna airport over the six weeks of runway repair at Abuja continues to grow. 

ICMS, Inc Reports
By Tom Okure, Ph.D
February 17, 2017
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British Arways

British Airways is joining the list of foreign airlines including South African airlines, Air France and Lufthansa in declining to operate from the Nigerian Kaduna airport after March 8, 2017 as recommended by the Nigerian federal aviation ministry. The Nigerian aviation ministry states that it needs six weeks from March 8, 2017 to enable it to carry out runway repairs at Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. 

Earlier in the month, the German carrier Lufthansa, had also indicated that it would not fly to the Kaduna airport during the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAIA), Abuja. 

A British airways spokesperson said that during the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, the airline would refund airfares to passengers who are billed to travel with the airline from Abuja. 

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja

Apart from providing passengers with a full refund, another option available to passengers include rebooking their flights to an alternative date to and from Abuja when the airport is open. 

While some of these foreign airlines have opted in favor of completely suspending their service to Nigeria during the period of Abuja runway repairs, others have decided to continue serving Nigeria through Nigeria's Lagos Muthala Muhammad International Airport increasing operational pressure on the airport which also has its own operating challenges including deteriorating runways.

Despite the assurances of the Nigerian federal authorities regarding the temporary closure of Abuja airport and the operational, security update and readiness of the Kaduna airport for the resurfacing repair work at Abuja, the number of foreign airlines rejecting the option of flying into Kaduna airport over the six weeks of runway repair at Abuja continues to grow. 

Read more:

British airways to refund affected booked passengers doing closure of Nmandi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja

South African airways cancels flights in Abuja Nigeria during runway repair