December 17, (THEWILL) – There are indications that there would be flight delays and cancellations which may arise due to dust haze caused by harmattan this season.
Already, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) Captain Musa Nuhu, has alerted pilots and airline operators, that the Nigerian airspace will be closed to flight operations, if weather forecast by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) will hamper flight safety.
According to a statement from the agency, the alert became necessary due to NiMET forecast of moderate to severe dust haze, early morning fog especially along the coastal areas, which in some instances can reduce horizontal visibility to less than 200 meters during the period of November 2021 to March 2022.
In an advisory broadcast to all airline operators in Nigeria, the NCAA boss said pilots, flight crew members should obtain adequate departure-route and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet Aerodrome Methodologist offices and stations prior to flight operations and excise maximum restraint whenever an adverse weather is observed.
According to him, the Air Traffic Control, ATC, will ensure that necessary measures are put in place to cushion the effects of flight delay or cancellations on their passengers.
He stated that, due to air-to-ground visibility reduction due to dust haze or fog, flights are bound to be delayed, diverted, or cancelled where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed aerodrome operating minima.
“Aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed operating minima and in severe conditions, dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield lightings over wide areas making visual navigation extremely difficult or impossible”.
Captain Nuhu however, urged strict adherence to published aerodrome weather minima by flight crews, operators and Air Traffic Controllers.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
