Ethiopian Airlines and Kaduna State
Government are in talks for the airline to continue a separate flight
to Kaduna International Airport after the reopening of Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja on April 19.
The Traffic and Sales Manager of the
airline, Mrs Firiehiwot Mekonnen disclosed this in Abuja yesterday.
Mekonnen said that Governor Nasir
El’Rufai of Kaduna State had begun discussion with the airline to
that effect, adding that she met with the governor on Thursday.
According to her, "The Governor
has requested that Ethiopian Airlines should continue separate flight
to Kaduna even after the reopening of Abuja airport."
"The management is still
considering the possibility and will come with its decision on that
before the reopening of Abuja airport."
"If the option is good we will go
ahead with our operation there. We met with the governor today at the
Kaduna State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja and we discussed
extensively."
She said the discussion is hinged on
the possibility of the airline to continue separate flight to Kaduna
even after Abuja airport is opened.
Gov. Nasir el-Rufai with Firiehiwot
Mekonnen, Traffic and Sales Manager for Ethiopian airlines on
Thursday in Abuja
|
Mekonnen also said that the airline had
started operating full flight from Kaduna since the beginning of last
week, recording 286 passengers daily.
She explained that the passengers had
adjusted to the arrangement of flying out through Kaduna, adding that
Ethiopian airlines had recorded great success in its Kaduna
operation.
According to her, "We have been
having full flights from Kaduna since last week and even for today,
tomorrow and next, our flights are already fully booked,’’ she
disclosed."
The Federal Government had on March 8,
shut the Abuja airport for six weeks for rehabilitation of its failed
runway and diverted all Abuja-bound flight to Kaduna airport.
It will be recalled that the Minister
of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika had on Tuesday announced that
the rehabilitation work was 96 per cent completed, assuring of the
reopening of the airport on schedule.
However, many airlines, especially the
international airlines that have refused to flight to Kaduna are
already planning to return their operations to the airport from April
19.
Ends
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