Aircraft Underutilisation, Revenue Loss to Sunset Airports Worry Airline Operators
Chinedu Eze Airline operators in Nigeria are worried about forced flight cancellation, underutilisation of their aircraft, including loss of revenue to sunset airports, because of limited hours of flights. Sunset
Aircraft underutilization and revenue loss are causing concerns among airline operators in Nigeria. Several domestic airports, known as "sunset airports," operate only during daylight hours, typically from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM due to a lack of night-landing and lighting facilities. In contrast, Nigeria's five major international airports—Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Enugu—operate around the clock.
The limited hours of flights at these airports have led airlines to cancel or delay services, resulting in significant revenue loss. Captain Ado Sanusi, the Managing Director/CEO of Aero Contractors, stated that airlines lose substantial revenue to these airports, which make up over 70% of all airports in the country. The limited flight hours also force aircraft meant to fly 16 to 17 hours a day to operate for only eight hours, leading to technical issues and increased maintenance costs.
Underutilization of aircraft at sunset airports has caused operational challenges, with flights often pushed back or canceled due to delays. This creates congested schedules during daylight hours, leading to further delays and cancellations. During the Christmas season, when airlines typically schedule many flights to these airports, their operations are particularly disrupted.
Sanusi emphasized that airlines lose money due to the limited number of flights scheduled to these airports. For instance, US airline South West utilizes its Boeing B737 for 16 hours in a 24-hour period, whereas Nigerian airlines operate their aircraft for only half that time. The situation is exacerbated by inadequate airport infrastructure, which contributes significantly to flight delays and cancellations.
United Nigeria Airlines' Chief Commercial Officer, Adedayo Olawuyi, echoed these concerns during the 23rd Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos. While acknowledging that some delays are beyond airline control, he highlighted the impact of inadequate infrastructure on flight operations. Olawuyi noted that congested airport conditions often result in delayed takeoffs and arrivals, despite airlines' efforts to mitigate these issues.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
