…lauds FAAN over hi-tech facilities at new Abuja Int’l terminal
…airline explains baggage issue in 2016
Posted by Sade Williams
Turkish Airlines management said on Thursday it will begin London-Istanbul-Port-Harcourt flights beginning June 24, 2019.
Speaking at a press conference on the activities of the airline in Lagos, Mehmet Asik, General Manager, Abuja operations, said the airline plans to introduce student fare on the route by offering discount to passengers going to study abroad from the region.
He also disclosed that the airline will introduce its Corporate fare (club) to institutions, non-governmental organisations and ministries in the Port-Harcourt region, adding that they will enjoy benefits such as discounts, no penalties, incentives and excess baggage.
Meanwhile, the airline lauded the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over what it described as ‘latest technology’ at the new terminal of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“We are so happy to move our operations to the new terminal, we are happy to have the very latest technology in Abuja, it will give us the best opportunity to handle our passengers and also the best way to park our aircraft, at the old terminal, there was no such opportunity for us to park near the bridge, passengers only use the bus to connect the terminal on arrival but the new terminal offers more facilities”, Asik said.
The airline joined some international airlines, to commence operations into the airport yesterday after it was commissioned in December 2018.
While explaining the reason for baggage brouhaha that led to passengers blocking an aircraft on the tarmac in Abuja in 2016, Asik attributed the issue to capacity and seasonality, adding the airline had since made some technical adjustments to that had prevented such occurrence.
“The problem had to do with capacity and seasonality, sometimes some people prefer to carry over 100 luggage and during period, it becomes an issue but we have been able to prevent this from happening since then and we will continue to update the system”, he added.
The Abuja terminal building has an annual passenger capacity of 15million covering a space of approximately 56,000m2.
It also has the following facilities: 72 check-in counters, five baggage collection carousels, 28 immigration desks at arrival and 16 at departure, eight security screening points, eight passenger boarding bridges, walkway to link the Federal Capital Territory metro rail, additional apron for remote parking of aircraft, linkway to domestic wing and many other facilities that are properly designed and laid out in accordance with modern requirements for airport operations.
