BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Contrary to a welter of stories on the cyberspace, a detailed investigation has revealed that Lufthansa Airlines was duly notified of the runway repairs at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and as such the crew cannot feign ignorance of the damaged portion on the tarmac.
According to findings, a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) informing all airlines of the planned repairs.
Additionally, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which manages the nation’s airports, circulated a message to operators detailing the closure schedule and urging flight schedule adjustments.
The message, obtained by Fact Echoes, was released on Wednesday, July 23, and read:
“Good morning, all airline operators. Kindly note that RWY 04 will be closed shortly from 10 pm tonight (24th July) to 4 am tomorrow (25th July) local time to carry out planned repairs on the depressed section of the pavement.
“Furthermore, all flight operations during this period are advised to be reviewed accordingly.
“Please be aware that operations have been constrained by the weather conditions and are guided by the forecast during this period.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused as we work to restore the runway to normalcy for safe operation.”
Further checks showed that FAAN had also circulated the exact GPS coordinates of the depressed section to all airlines as far back as July 21.
Aviation experts have now raised questions over Lufthansa’s operational choices during the repair period.
Travel consultant Mr. Botunde Dele noted: “Blaming the airport authority in this case is ill-conceived. We need to ask a few questions.
Why is it the only plane that complained, because we all know it is not the only aircraft that used the runway during the period?
“Additionally, the statement attributed to the pilot claiming they were not informed of the depressed portion of the runway should be treated with caution.
The pilot couldn’t have made that statement because any NOTAM issued anywhere goes across the whole world.
“So, for anyone to say, especially the pilot, I don’t think it is true, since Lufthansa Airlines itself hasn’t issued any statement to that effect. I know for sure that other international carriers with similar wide-bodied aircraft were landing and taking off from the same runway.”
A senior FAAN engineer, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the repairs have since been completed:
“These are issues that happen everywhere. The section was depressed, and we took precautionary measures by first informing the airlines and then taking action to ensure that the entire length of the runway was fully functional. That has been done, and the full length is now operational as expected.”
Initial reports suggested that Lufthansa’s pilots were caught unawares, leading to the offloading of passengers and luggage to achieve the required take-off thrust.
However, with evidence of a global NOTAM, operator advisories, and swift repairs, industry observers argue that the Nigerian aviation authorities followed proper procedure.
As one industry insider noted, “The facts show that authorities did their job. It was up to the airline to make operational adjustments.”
