Airlines cancel flights over poor visibility

Inclement weather force airlines to  cancel flights into Enugu, PH,Calabar, Uyo,Benin,Warri, Ibadan,Asaba,Ilorin

Air Peace, Arik count losses 

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor 

Inclement weather occasioned by harmattan haze has forced many domestic carriers to cancel flights from Lagos Airport into Port Harcourt, Enugu, Calabar, Uyo, Benin, Warri, Asaba , Ibadan and Ilorin, the Nation has learnt.

The harmattan haze resulting in poor visibility is preventing airlines from operating flights into airports less than 800 meters approved weather minima by aviation regulatory agencies.

Investigations reveal that airports in South South and South East are worst hit by the inclement weather forcing airlines to lose significant revenue that would accrued if weather permitted them to operate flights.

Air Peace and Arik Air biggest operators by volume of flights are hugely affected by the poor visibility which have either forced them to delay some flights awaiting improving in weather or outright cancellation if the aerodrome weather is below the prescribed minima.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Corporate Communications Manager, Air Peace, Mr Christian Iwarah told The Nation, that the airline is hugely affected by the prevailing weather as it on Wednesday alone cancelled six flights.

Iwarah said the cancellation of flights into Benin, Calabar, Uyo, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Akure has hugely complicated its schedules with the attendant revenue loss and fidelity to on time performance.

He said most passengers have refused to show understanding that the delays and cancellations are beyond the airlines but forces of nature .

He said :" The inclement weather is seriously affected our operations . We have no choice but to either delay or cancel some flights because we will not fly into any airport below the approved weather minima.

" This is forcing us to lose money and our name because passengers will not understand . This could even force some passengers to attack our staff, we think the relevant security agencies should provide security for our workers and equipment .

" Whatever has happened, we are Lodi g heavily on all sides. How do we handle the backlog of passengers, issues about refund and other challenges."

He said airline only operated flights today into Lagos , Accra, Owerri, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

On his part, Arik spokesman, Ola Adebanji said the airline could not operate flights into Asaba, Benin, Warri , Ilorin and Ibadan.

He said :" This poor visibility is impacting negatively on our flights because the airline is loosing revenue."

On his part, spokesman of DANA Air, Kingsley EZENWA said though the airline operated flights , but it had to monitor the prevailing weather that it meets the prescribed minima.

He said :" Though DANA Air did not cancel any flights, but we experienced a lot of delays ."

Investigations reveal that many passengers remain stranded at airports waiting airlines to announce boarding for flights.