- Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) urged passengers to exercise patience during flight delays and cancellations ahead of the Sallah holiday
- The Director of Operations, Captain Abdullahi Mahmood, emphasised that disruptive behaviour, like vandalism, is not acceptable and will not resolve travel issues
- The airport authority said it was actively working on improving airport standards and facilities to ensure smoother travel experiences for passengers
With the Sallah holiday fast approaching, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has urged passengers to exercise patience in the face of flight delays and cancellations while maintaining proper conduct at airports.
The airport authority further reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating touting at airports, despite facing opposition.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, during an Iftar dinner with the Muslim community at the Lagos airport.
FAAN warns against disruptive behaviour at airports
Kuku, who was represented by the Director of Operations, Captain Abdullahi Mahmood, also urged passengers to exercise patience and refrain from damaging airport terminals or airline properties due to flight delays, reschedules, and cancellations, especially as the Sallah holiday approaches.
Mahmood emphasised the importance of patience, stating that disruptive behaviour such as fighting and vandalism would not benefit anyone.
He pointed out that such actions were not observed anywhere else in the world, stressing the need for passengers to understand both their rights and the rights of the airlines.
“Fighting and breaking things won’t do any good to anyone. I have never seen anywhere in the world where people do that. So, we need to be patient. We need to understand our rights, and we need to understand the airlines’ rights also. We need to understand that everyone has their rights,” Mahmood stated.
FAAN promises smoother passenger experience
He further advised travellers to arrive at airports on time and to behave appropriately. He assured that FAAN was actively working to improve the standards of the airports and ensure that facilities were adequately in place to facilitate passenger travel.
“The airlines have rights. In as much as you have your rights as passengers, they have their rights also. Go to the airport on time and maintain good behaviour.
“We are making every effort to make sure that our airports are up to standard. We also want to make sure that the facilities at our airports are in place for full facilitation of our passengers’ travel.”
Addressing the issue of touting, Mahmood acknowledged that eradicating the practice was a challenging task, comparing it to the fight against corruption, where those benefiting from such activities would resist efforts to end it.
However, he assured that FAAN was determined to continue its efforts and raise public awareness about the negative impact of touting.
He said, “We are taking it seriously. It is not something that will change overnight. It is like fighting corruption, and it fights back. You have to understand some people are gaining from this (touting), and you want to move them out of what they are doing.
“No matter what it is, they will fight back, but we are ready. We are equal to the task. We are fighting and we are sensitising people to understand that what they are doing is wrong.”
FAAN urges aviation unions to embrace dialogue over airport concessions
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that FAAN urged aviation unions to embrace dialogue regarding airport concessions.
The unions, including ANAP, ATSSSAN, and NUATE, voiced concerns over job security and transparency.