No fewer than 42 private jets land at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos daily, findings by our correspondent have revealed.
A statement obtained by our correspondent from Nigeria’s first
commercial private jet hangar, Evergreen Apple Nigeria, on Friday
indicated that it received 15 private jet fights everyday.
But further findings on Friday from two aviation agencies, Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
showed that a total of 1,200 private jet flights landed at the Lagos
airport every month.
And by implication, it means at least 300 of the flights are recorded every week and 42 every day.
Of the 1,200 private flight jets, it was learnt that 450 arrived at
Evergreen Apple hanger, while the remaining 750 jets landed at Execujets
hangar and other private hangars at the Lagos airport.
Private aircraft movements have been on the rise in Nigeria lately due to the increase in ownership of luxury planes.
Other airports where there is a boom in private jet flights are Abuja, Kano and Kaduna.
Evergreen, which recently stated that it was monitoring the upward
trends in the aviation business, said its daily private jet movements
were running to an average of 15 flights.
The firm said its “business aviation movements have increased by over
100 per cent year-on-year, and daily movements are running at an
average of 15 daily.”
According to the firm, flights are arriving into the FBO
predominantly from Europe with London, Ireland, Germany, Spain, France
and Austria, all featuring as regular starting points as they bring
business executives into Nigeria.
It said, “Flight arrivals from the Middle East are also growing with
Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Aman rating highest in terms of originating
destinations.
“Within the continent of Africa, the movements mirror comments
operators and charter brokers are making in terms of most active
destinations. National flights within Nigeria and from further afield
including Gambia, Cameroon, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea all reflect the
increase in African business aviation activity driven by the continent’s
continued expansion of energy, mineral, agricultural and telecom
sectors.”
The statement quoted the Chief Executive Officer of Evergreen, Mr.
Segun Demuren, as saying, “Owing to the size of the continent, the mid
to heavy jets are proving most popular at the EAN Hangar Jet Centre.
Gulfstream 400/450 models, the Bombardier Global Express family and the
full range of the Bombardier Challenger types from 601s to 850s are
regularly parking up at the hangar.
“The range of the aircraft enables business executives and government
officials travelling around Africa and further afield to the Middle
East and Europe to travel in the most convenient and efficient way.”
It was learnt that charter operators provided the main body of
traffic through the airport but increasingly, privately owned aircraft
belonging to local entrepreneurs were also contributing to the movement
figures.
In addition, the increased movements had led to a greater demand for premium services, Evergreen said.
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