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Government approves mono rail for Lagos airport
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Federal Government has approved in principle a mono rail between the new domestic terminal (MMA2) and the international wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
This is in its drive to make Lagos airport a hub of the West African region. The mono rail is to enable domestic and international passengers have seamless movement between the two terminals.
Managing director of the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Alex Van-Elk, said yesterday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA) had given its approval in principle.
Before a full approval is given, such things as environmental impact assessment and identification of the route must be done with, according to Van-Elk.
It is hoped that the mono rail becomes a reality within the next three years, just as efforts are on to introduce airside bus transfer for passengers that need to connect the two terminals.
“We want to make Murtala Muhammed Airport a major hub; we are already consulting with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the NCAA. They have to give us the go ahead and we will swing into full action.”
On passenger traffic within the terminal, Van Elk disclosed that between its first year of operation, about 1,140,000 passengers passed through the MMA 2.
“I can inform you all that about 90,000 to 95,000 passengers pass through this airport monthly and they have been commending our operations.”
The terminal boss said efforts were also on towards the expansion of facilities on ground most especially with the expected passenger growth within the next few years.
On whether government should continue to encourage the public private partnership in infrastructural development?
He said: “There are a lot of efforts to put a terminal up to shape. In my opinion, the government can spend the resources on better things. Talking of Nigeria, housing, education, energy are more pressing issues for government.
“The other thing is that the company is coming on a commercial basis with a lot of know-how. If you don’t know your job, you will never run a profitable place. For airport, a specialist should come in.”
He informed that the airlines operating from the terminal were helping on security coupled with passengers’ assistance.
“The airlines have safe and efficient counters; there is no need to have long queues at the checking areas. There is no need for any x-ray machines for the carry-on luggage because we have four scanners that can do all the work.
“So, I think we can call this by far, the most passenger friendly than Heathrow Terminal 5 at the moment,” he said.
According to him, the growing air traffic was taken into consideration before the construction of the edifice.
“This terminal at the moment is built for five million passengers and we are at this moment seeking an extension to increase that figure to more than eight million passengers.
“Now if you look at the actual facts at this moment. If Arik and Virgin Nigeria will move in, we will be talking about three million passengers on the domestic side, which shows that we are able to cope with the growth in the aviation sector.”
This is in its drive to make Lagos airport a hub of the West African region. The mono rail is to enable domestic and international passengers have seamless movement between the two terminals.
Managing director of the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Alex Van-Elk, said yesterday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA) had given its approval in principle.
Before a full approval is given, such things as environmental impact assessment and identification of the route must be done with, according to Van-Elk.
It is hoped that the mono rail becomes a reality within the next three years, just as efforts are on to introduce airside bus transfer for passengers that need to connect the two terminals.
“We want to make Murtala Muhammed Airport a major hub; we are already consulting with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the NCAA. They have to give us the go ahead and we will swing into full action.”
On passenger traffic within the terminal, Van Elk disclosed that between its first year of operation, about 1,140,000 passengers passed through the MMA 2.
“I can inform you all that about 90,000 to 95,000 passengers pass through this airport monthly and they have been commending our operations.”
The terminal boss said efforts were also on towards the expansion of facilities on ground most especially with the expected passenger growth within the next few years.
On whether government should continue to encourage the public private partnership in infrastructural development?
He said: “There are a lot of efforts to put a terminal up to shape. In my opinion, the government can spend the resources on better things. Talking of Nigeria, housing, education, energy are more pressing issues for government.
“The other thing is that the company is coming on a commercial basis with a lot of know-how. If you don’t know your job, you will never run a profitable place. For airport, a specialist should come in.”
He informed that the airlines operating from the terminal were helping on security coupled with passengers’ assistance.
“The airlines have safe and efficient counters; there is no need to have long queues at the checking areas. There is no need for any x-ray machines for the carry-on luggage because we have four scanners that can do all the work.
“So, I think we can call this by far, the most passenger friendly than Heathrow Terminal 5 at the moment,” he said.
According to him, the growing air traffic was taken into consideration before the construction of the edifice.
“This terminal at the moment is built for five million passengers and we are at this moment seeking an extension to increase that figure to more than eight million passengers.
“Now if you look at the actual facts at this moment. If Arik and Virgin Nigeria will move in, we will be talking about three million passengers on the domestic side, which shows that we are able to cope with the growth in the aviation sector.”
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