BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
As Nigeria’s airports brace for the annual festive travel surge, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has called on all aviation stakeholders to close ranks and ensure a seamless, passenger-friendly yuletide experience.
In a statement issued Monday, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Henry Agbebire, said the peak “Detty December” season places airports under intense pressure, making collaboration, professionalism and restraint more critical than ever.
He described airports as the country’s “first impression” for returning Nigerians and foreign visitors alike.
Agbebire singled out the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, as key gateways that must set the tone for service excellence during the festive rush.
Acting in line with the expectations of President Bola Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, FAAN urged all agencies operating at the airports to work as one.
These include the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Port Health, Quarantine, Department of State Services (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Aviation Security, ground handlers and other service providers.
The Authority issued firm directives to officers and personnel, warning against actions that could mar the travel experience.
Personnel were urged to avoid harassment or intimidation of passengers, desist from soliciting or demanding money, refrain from unnecessary delays, profiling or obstruction, and discharge their duties with courtesy, efficiency and professionalism.
“This is a season to demonstrate the culture of excellence Nigeria seeks to entrench,” Agbebire said. “Our returning citizens and visitors deserve warmth, order, and reassurance from arrival to exit.”
He stressed that responsibility for passenger satisfaction rests on every agency at the airport, calling for a deliberate effort to turn terminals into “havens of joy, safety, and efficiency” throughout the festive period.
The FAAN spokesman concluded with an appeal for unity of purpose: “Together, let us make Nigeria proud.”
The call comes as passenger traffic rises sharply, driven by Nigerians in the diaspora returning home for the holidays and an influx of international visitors eager to experience the country’s festive season.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
