Bi-Courtney signs flight agreement with FAAN

Lagos—Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, BASL, operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2, Dr. Wale Babalakin yesterday said that the management of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2, has signed agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to operate regional flights. His reaction is coming on the heels of protest by some aviation unions that the terminal should not be allowed to operate regional flights.

 

Babalakin explained that the terminal was not given approval contrary to insinuation making the round but that an agreement was signed.

He further explained that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, was invited to inspect the terminal and that the regulatory body gave some conditions that should be met by the terminal before it could commence regional flights from the facility.

Babalakin made these revelations while speaking at a Breakfast Meeting titled, “Ownership, Viability, Safety and Security of Nigerian Airports,” organised by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, ASRTI. He also revealed that the conditions set by NCAA had been fulfilled by the terminal.

According to him; “Approval was not given, we signed an agreement to operate regional flights. NCAA was invited to inspect the facility and gave conditions that must be met and these conditions have been fulfilled and we are waiting for the implementation.”

On the four star hotel directly opposite the multi-story MMA2 car park also belonging to BASL that was allegedly taken from BASL, the Chairman ,explained that some people had wanted to convert the project to FAAN offices but that the idea did not materialise.

He added that while this was going on its technical partner withdrew because BASL could not explain why the hotel project was taken away from BASL.

However, he stated that BASL has signed a fresh agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, on the hotel project, adding that BASL was only able to achieve this due its relentless efforts.

Speaking on airport development, he said that it could only take place only under a well articulated concessioning system. He said that the Nigerian aviation industry can only move forward and experience rapid development under a well articulated concessioning system devoid of disagreements.