VIP flight restrictions pose risks to air travellers, Senate warns

The Senate has warned that the frequent restriction of airport operations and commercial flights to accommodate movements of Very Important Personalities could trigger a major aviation disaster, urging relevant authorities to urgently review the practice.

Lawmakers raised the alarm on Tuesday, expressing concern that commercial aircraft approaching their destinations were routinely forced to remain airborne for extended periods because of security restrictions associated with VIP movements.

They warned that keeping passenger aircraft circling in the air for up to an hour or longer could expose passengers and crew members to serious risks, including fuel exhaustion, adverse weather conditions, air traffic congestion and other operational emergencies.

The concerns followed an urgent motion moved by Jibrin Isa, representing Kogi East, which prompted the Senate to demand better coordination among aviation regulatory agencies, airport authorities and security operatives.

Although the lawmakers acknowledged the need to provide adequate security for the President and other designated public officials, they insisted that such arrangements must not compromise the safety of ordinary air travellers.

As part of its resolutions, the Senate urged “the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to ensure proper advance coordination and notification of planned airspace restrictions to airline operators.”

It further directed that where restrictions were unavoidable, aircraft yet to depart should be kept on the ground, while flight schedules and departure sequences should be adjusted to prevent planes from taking off only to be kept circling in the air.

The chamber also mandated its Committee on Aviation to engage the relevant authorities and report back within two weeks.

Contributing to the debate, Dike Plang, representing Plateau Central, drew on his experience in the aviation industry to explain the dangers of poor flight scheduling and airspace management.

He said, “I worked with Kabo Air in 1996 as a station manager in Kano and Saudi Arabia, where I received training in ground operations.

“Aviation operations depend heavily on accurate timing and coordination. I believe that airlines and airport authorities should be adequately informed about planned VIP movements before commercial flights are cleared for departure.”

Plang argued that allowing an aircraft to depart for a destination when authorities already know that a VIP movement would prevent it from landing at the scheduled time amounted to poor operational management.

He said flight departures and arrivals must be properly coordinated to avoid unnecessary delays and potential emergencies.

The senator also noted that although aircraft were required to carry sufficient reserve fuel to reach alternative airports in emergencies, the requirement should not be used to justify poor planning by aviation authorities.

He expressed concern over the increasing number of private and government aircraft operating within the country’s airspace, stressing the need for effective coordination.

Also speaking, Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, lamented what he described as the persistent failure of aviation authorities to protect ordinary passengers from disruptions associated with VIP movements.

Ningi said Nigeria was increasingly operating like a lawless country, where passengers had become accustomed to unexplained flight delays and disruptions without adequate consideration for their inconvenience.

Recounting his personal experience, the former Senate Leader disclosed that he recently boarded a flight from Kano which was scheduled to last about 40 minutes but ended up spending approximately two and a half hours in the air because of VIP-related restrictions.

He said the experience was particularly disturbing because passengers were left frustrated, with many directing their anger at the government and the National Assembly.

Ningi argued that the responsibility for the situation should not rest solely with the NCAA, NAMA and FAAN, insisting that lawmakers must also accept responsibility for failing to adequately supervise the agencies.

He criticised the aviation regulators, alleging that their effectiveness was more evident in official statements than in the actual experiences of air travellers.

The senator also condemned what he described as unequal treatment of passengers and airline operators, noting that travellers could be denied boarding for arriving just a minute late, while airlines could keep passengers waiting for five or seven hours without adequate explanations or apologies.

Expressing concern over the approaching harmattan season, Ningi warned that prolonged flight delays and poor coordination could increase the risk of an aviation emergency.

He consequently called for the heads of the NCAA, NAMA and FAAN to appear before the Senate Committee on Aviation, insisting that the Senate leadership should also participate in the engagement.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who also shared his experience as an air traveller, recounted how passengers were once stranded inside an airport bus for approximately three hours because of VIP movements.

According to him, the passengers had already been transported from the terminal towards their aircraft when the bus was suddenly stopped, leaving them sweating inside for hours.

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“Being a former governor, I had to conceal my identity and avoid eye contact with other passengers who were expressing anger and raining abuses on government officials over the delay,” he stated.

Akpabio also criticised what he described as poor coordination between airport authorities and the Presidency during presidential movements.

He said airports and airspace were sometimes restricted long before the President actually departed, resulting in unnecessary disruptions to commercial flight operations.

The Senate President suggested that the President might not even be aware of the extent of the inconvenience caused to other travellers by the security arrangements.

Describing the vulnerability of air travellers, Akpabio reportedly referred to an aircraft as a “flying coffin,” stressing that passengers and crew members remained exposed to danger until their aircraft landed safely.

He explained that commercial aircraft were expected to carry adequate reserve fuel to enable them to divert to alternative airports whenever landing at their intended destinations became impossible.

However, he raised concerns over allegations that some airline operators compromised on fuel requirements in an attempt to maximise passenger capacity.

Akpabio also recalled an aviation disaster allegedly linked to fuel exhaustion after an aircraft was unable to land for an extended period because of VIP-related restrictions.

He called for the circumstances surrounding such incidents to be carefully examined to prevent a recurrence.

While acknowledging the importance of presidential security, the Senate President maintained that airport closures and airspace restrictions should be properly timed and coordinated rather than imposed unnecessarily long before official movements.

He called for a meeting of relevant authorities to develop an arrangement that would protect VIP security without exposing commercial passengers to avoidable risks.

In a further contribution, Neda Emasuen, representing Edo South, moved an amendment to strengthen the Senate’s position on the handling of commercial aircraft during unavoidable airspace restrictions.

Emasuen urged the NCAA, NAMA, FAAN and other relevant authorities to ensure that airline operators made adequate arrangements for alternative airports whenever emergency diversion became necessary.

He argued that commercial aircraft already airborne should not be left circling indefinitely while waiting for restricted airspace to reopen.

Instead, such aircraft should be directed to suitable alternative airports where they could land safely and await clearance to continue their journeys.

The amendment, seconded by Kaka Shehu Lawan, representing Borno Central, was incorporated into the Senate’s deliberations.

Ruling on the matter, Akpabio described the situation as a serious aviation safety concern requiring urgent collective intervention.

He warned that failure to address the problem could result in an “avoidable accident that is waiting to happen if nothing is done.”

The Senate President said the matter would be better resolved through a coordinated engagement involving all relevant stakeholders rather than relying solely on general directives.

He consequently directed the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation to immediately convene a meeting with the relevant aviation authorities to examine the situation and agree on practical solutions.

Akpabio also demanded clarification on the number of VIP movements for which airports and airspace were routinely restricted.

He said that, apart from the President, the Senate was not aware of any other category of VIPs entitled to such extensive airport restrictions, adding that Nigerians deserved to know whether the privilege had been extended to other public officials.

A senator, however, pointed out during the deliberations that the Vice-President was also entitled to similar privileges under the relevant presidential security arrangements.

The Senate President stressed that the proposed engagement must establish clear operational guidelines to ensure that VIP movements no longer create unnecessary risks for commercial aviation.

The development has renewed attention on the tension between security arrangements for top government officials and the responsibility of aviation authorities to protect passengers and crew members.

The lawmakers said the proposed meeting should produce practical measures on advance notification of airspace restrictions, flight scheduling, ground delays for aircraft yet to depart and the diversion of planes already airborne whenever their intended destinations become temporarily inaccessible.