There was great joy and excitement yesterday at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu as the people of the South-East trooped out to witness the first commercial flight to land at the upgraded airport.
As early as 8:00 a.m., the airport was filled with people from the zone who were eager to be part of history and to catch a glimpse of the passengers in the maiden flight to land at the remodeled new international airport.
Also with the huge crowd were passengers who had booked to fly back with the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft that made the inaugural flight.
And at 12:10 p.m., the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 marked ET-AP which took off from Addis Ababa, commanded by Capt Zena Gobere, touched down to be recorded as the first international commercial flight to land at the AIIA with 15 passengers, a pilot and his first officer, four crew members, including the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Airlines, Mr Esayas Hailu.
Occupants of the airplane arrived to a rousing welcome with the traditional water-spray on the airplane performed by officials of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Fire Service department.
However, billionaire businessman, Prince Arthur Eze, had last Tuesday landed at the airport in his private jet.
Among the dignitaries who came to witness the inaugural flight included, the four governors of the South-East states: Mr. Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Mr Peter Obi (Anambra), Chief Theodore Orji (Abia), and Chief Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) while their Imo State counterpart, Governor Rochas Okorocha was conspicuously absent. Other dignitaries from the region who were at the airport were: the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim; Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala; Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah; Energy Minister, Prof Chinedu Nebo; Senator Hope Uzodinma; APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh; The Sun Publishing Limited Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Chief Tony Onyima and the Chief of Staff, Enugu Government House, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, among many others.
Excited Gov Chime thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for fulfilling his promise by making the international status of the airport become a reality just as he also thanked the Aviation Minister, Mrs Oduah for all her efforts, saying that the new status of the airport would impact positively on the economy of the state.
“I promise you that in a very short while, the Enugu airport now Akanu Ibiam International Airport will become the busiest international airport in Nigeria,” Chime said. Also speaking, the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu said the commencement of direct flights from AIIA Enugu will improve the economy of the South-East in no small way.
“This is a massive achievement and as you can see, everyone is happy. It is so because our people are the most travelled in Africa and commencing an international service from here is an endorsement of the recognition.
“So, Ethiopian Airlines is in for a big business. This is going to be their most profitable route in the sub-region. We are excited because our people can now fly from here to any part of the globe without the headaches of connecting local flight to Lagos or Abuja or Port Harcourt.
“This is good. Ethiopian Airline goes to almost every part of the globe and with their interline partners, it’s good for us. Of course, tourism and business will flourish as well. Our people will get employed. Business is easier, travelling is also easier. Other regions can come here as well because the processes will be well simplified. Those of us at the National Assembly will ensure that adequate budgetary provision is made to complete the entire project which is the new terminal building and other infrastructure so that people can travel more comfortably,” Ekweremadu promised.
Aviation Minister, Princess Oduah disclosed that seven other international airlines have indicated interest to begin flights from the airport even as she described the occasion as historic.
Her words: “This is historic. I feel extremely excited over this landmark achievement. We thank President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for this laudable achievement. This is evidence of the commitment of government to improve aviation in Nigeria, which has been accomplished today.
“That states in the South-East are landlocked is no more so now that the airport is opened, the economy of the states in the region would now experience a leap.”
Speaking, in the same vein, the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim, described the flag off of international flights from AIIA as an opening of the vista of socio-economic development for the South eastern states, as well as the entire country.
Anyim promised that the government would continue to consolidate on its promise to open up all parts of the country for economic development through air transportation, assuring that other projects expected to put the airport in the global scale would be completed.
He said that the Federal Government would continue to deliver on its promise for infrastructure upgrade to open up the air transport sector.
“This is the fulfillment of a promise to give the South-East a befitting international airport. It has been a long time people of the South-East dreamt of an international airport. Promises were made in the past, but today the promise has been fulfilled. I can tell you that it is of great joy to us. Our gratitude knows no bound to the Federal Government,” he said.
Speaking with Sunday Sun, Captain Gobere described the Nigerian airspace as “safe and lovely to cruise in,” saying that “I’m surprised to see a brand new runway and modern terminal building, the airspace is good and we had good weather on coming.
“Perhaps we could experience some slight turbulence on departure, but it’s nothing to worry about. It’s a four and half hours flight. We were told it was an old airport, but what I’m seeing here is good.
“This is good for Nigeria. We came in with only 15 passengers because the awareness overseas isn’t much yet, but we are leaving with 158 passengers, which is the capacity of the aircraft.”
Also speaking, the Deputy CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr Hailu, said the airline was commencing with four flights weekly, but would soon increase it to daily.
“We’ve started with four flights a week, but very soon, it’ll go daily and we will increase the airplane to a much bigger wide-body jet. We’ve been servicing Nigeria for about half a decade now, but only concentrating in Lagos and Abuja. But the bulk of our passengers are from the East and so it’s good serving them directly. Bringing the airplane to their doorstep is good. It reduces hassles of local connections,” he said.
The Ethiopian Airlines was to depart from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport by 2:30 p.m. with Governor Chime, Senator Ekweremadu as part of the other 158 passengers from the South East back to Addis Ababa en route other parts of the world.
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