Airlines continue to divert flights over visibility

…Diversions are imperative for safety, says NAMA

Again, airlines are diverting flights to Accra, Ghana over low visibility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos is 1000 metres.

Our reporter also learnt that visibility in places like Cotonou and Lome are lower than 600 metres.

Airlines like Emirates, Dubai to Lagos diverted to Accra due to bad weather and British Airways also followed suit.

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in a reaction to the trend noted the inability of some international flights to land at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, largely due to issues of inclement weather and company minimal of affected airlines.

A statement issued by General Manager Public Affair, Mr Khalid Emele read, ” Our position is that such diversions are in the interest of safety.

The facts on record, however, is as follows: Lagos has two runways- 18 Right and 18 Left. The Doppler Very High Omni-Directional Radio Range (DVOR) and the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) at the airport has successfully been calibrated and passed 100 per cent.

The localizer (a component of the Instrument Landing System) responsible for horizontal guidance at runway 18 Left has also passed 100 per cent calibration while the glide slope (which is another component of the Instrument Landing System that provides vertical guidance) is undergoing routine maintenance and by tomorrow (12/02/2020), the maintenance will be concluded and the equipment shall be fully on air.

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On Runway 18 Right, there is Category 3 ILS which is still undergoing installation. Presently, Selex Systems, the contractors are working on the realignment of its parameters, preparatory to the calibration and commissioning of the equipment in the shortest possible time.

“Meanwhile, the agency hereby wishes to reassure airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian Airspace remains safe for seamless and economic air travel and regret any inconveniences caused.