The management of Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday said it witnessed more than 19,000 passengers’ movements in the last six weeks, as the aviation fuel crisis escalates the cost of flight operations nationwide.
The manager of the airport, Ayinla Gbolahan, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar, added that the passengers’ influx was recorded between 1 June and 19 July.
Nigerian airlines, under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), recently said there would be major disruptions of flights due to scarcity of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1.
Mr Gbolahan said within the same period under review, the airport recorded 356 aircraft movements, with an average of two arrivals and two departures of aircraft daily.
According to him, Air Peace and Ibom Air were the only two commercial airlines operating for now at the Margaret Ekpo Airport.
The manager, in giving a breakdown of the movements at the airport, said, “In June, we had a total of 5,900 passengers arrived at the airport, while 5,984 departed from there.
“In the same month of June, we recorded aircraft movements of 109 arrivals and 109 departures.
“Similarly, between July 1 and 19, we had a total of 7,403 passengers’ movement; 3,501 arrivals and 3,902 departures.
“We had aircraft movements of 69 arrivals and 69 departures,” he said.
He said the airport was not operating at night because its approach lighting system was out of service.
On aviation fuel, he said, “the airport does not have an aviation fuel depot; rather the aircraft get them from where they come from.”
(NAN)
