Blackout Disrupts Flights At Lagos Airport

By Dipo Olowookere

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is reporting that flight operations at the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos have been disrupted for two days due to power outage.

General Manager, Public Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Yakubu Dati, who confirmed the development to newsmen, disclosed that the power outage was caused by the PHCN.

As at press time, the power outage has not been restored, NAN said.

“There was a power outage from PHCN and the airport was on our independent power supply.

“However when power was restored, the surge adversely affected the K16 transformer that serves the Air-bridges and rendered them unserviceable.

“This adversely affected operations of departing flights. The heavy rainfall further delayed attempts by engineers to effect repairs immediately,” Mr Dati said.

As a result of the serious power outage, airlines operating into the country can no longer make use of the fingers that were assigned to them instead airline now use ramp.

As at Saturday, August 27, the disruption necessitated by the power failure affected KLM/Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and South Africa Airways flights.

These airlines, NAN learnt, used the ramp to board and disembark their passengers instead of using the fingers.

Arik Air London flight, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Air Maroc flights were affected and that these airlines also used the ramp.

But FAAN had apologised to passengers, airlines and the general public for the inconvenience caused by this development.

The authority said that efforts were being made to find a lasting solution.

http://www.nan.ng/economy/blackout-disrupts-flights-at-lagos-airport/