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Regulatory approval delaying international flights – Bi-Courtney

By on April 3, 2016

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two in Lagos, says the delay in the planned commencement of regional and international flights at the terminal is due to regulatory approval yet to be given by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

This, it said, was contrary to claims in some quarters that insufficient space for parking of aircraft was responsible for the delay.

Bi-Courtney said it had obtained authorisation from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to commence regional operations at the MMA2 in line with its concession agreement, but regulatory approval from the NCAA was still required before it could commence operations.

In a statement by its spokesman, Aderemi Ladigbolu, BASL insisted that the delay in obtaining NCAA’s approval had nothing to do with the size of its apron or any other operational issue.

“The NCAA team of inspectors had concluded their inspection and submitted their report. What remains now is the official clearance by the regulatory agency,” it said.

It explained that various teams of inspectors from the NCAA and other statutory agencies, including the Department of State Security, Nigerian Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Customs Service and the Port Health Service, supervised its preparation for the international operations to ensure it complied with all the requirements.

It noted that all the agencies had also deployed their personnel in the terminal in readiness for the commencement of international operations, while the Ministry of Interior had already accorded the MMA2 the status of an entry point into the country.

“We don’t have any issue with parking space for aircraft. That is a false allegation. FAAN has authorised commencement of operations, but we still need other approvals from the NCAA.

 

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