Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has denied that she ordered some foreign airlines, particularly Emirates, Etihad and Turkish airlines to stop operating at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
She said, “Emirates Airline has never applied for any permit to operate into either Abuja or Kano International airports. Anyone, including the airline concerned with contrary documentation should please make such available to the general public.
Etihad that was supposed to commence operations from Abuja in line with an old Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 2003 with the UAE has refused to do so, but rather insisted on starting from Lagos, thereby necessitating an amendment of the MoU in 2012 to accommodate their desire.
“Turkish Airline had in fact applied to operate into Abuja and Kano, an application which the minister approved without any hesitation. In fact, IRS Airlines was nominated on the 1st of August 2012 to work with Turkish Airline in this regard”.
Mr. Joe Obi, Special Assistant to the aviation minister in a statement made available to journalists yesterday, further explained that the minister never stopped any airline from operating into Abuja and Kano or forced any particular one to operate into the Enugu International Airport, adding that she has been making efforts to convince KLM, in conjunction with the Kano State government, to continue to operate into Kano airport for which it had earlier stopped its operations.