Airport rehabilitation will boost Nigeria’s image – FAAN

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, has said the ongoing transformation at the country’s airports is geared towards enhancing passengers’ experiences and boosting the positive image of the country.

The FAAN boss stated this recently at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, while playing host to the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, Yinka Folami, and his executive members.

According to her, the key transformation ecosystem also consisted of zero tolerance for activities inimical to passengers’ safety, particularly the harassment of passengers and touting within and around the airport vicinity.

Kuku also commended NANTA’s advocacy for fair play in the aviation sector, promising to collaborate with registered travel trade professionals who are members of the association.

She said, “We are willing to work with your association to address the concerns you have raised and also strengthen the bond of partnership between FAAN and NANTA for a better and secure environment for all stakeholders in the airport community.”

On the request for a space for a dedicated NANTA help desk at the airports across the country for travellers’ awareness and information sharing, Kuku described the request as critical to impacting the ongoing transformation at the airport and urged the group to submit the names of its members who would work closely with the FAAN protocol unit in achieving the same.

“We welcome your ideas and collaboration, which will improve the quality of passenger service, provide accurate travel information, ambush misinformation, and also help to identify and eliminate touting at airports.

“We are working hard to streamline airport transfer services and enhance traveller convenience. We acknowledge certain challenges, such as ticket racketeering, especially at the domestic wing and the loitering of unauthorised persons around airport premises. There’s also the collusion between some airline staff and ticket racketeers, which fuels the unauthorised sale of tickets of no-show passengers under different names. All these we intend to tackle in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority,” Kuku stated.

Earlier, the NANTA President requested strategic partnership and collaboration with FAAN to enthrone a system clean-up, eliminate touting, and achieve seamless passenger transfer services.