Aviation fuel scarcity: Airlines cancel fights, passengers stranded at Abuja Airport

Hundreds of passengers were on Tuesday stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as airlines cancelled many scheduled flights as the effect of the scarcity of JET A1 also known as aviation fuel bites harder.
Arik Air, one of the leading airlines in Nigeria, had to cancel most of its flights since Sunday, arising from the scarcity of aviation fuel.
Very few flights have been recorded between Saturday and Tuesday, with thousands of air travellers stranded and many others settling for road transportation.
Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, the Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said that the fuel scarcity had paralysed flight operations at the airport.

Yakubu said there had been many flight cancellations and delays by airlines, especially the bigger ones as a result of the worsened fuel situation.

She said traffic at the airport was not too heavy as many passengers who could not travel by air had to settle for road transportation, even though some others were still waiting, hoping to catch their flights.

“The situation is difficult because there are a lot of delays and cancellations of flights.

“Many passengers have gone back, probably to travel by road, while many others are still waiting with the expectation that their plight will still be available.’’

Mr Abdullahi Saroke, the Deputy Station Manager, Azman Airline, said that the situation was affecting the bigger airlines mostly because of the frequency of their schedules.

Saroke said that the airlines had resorted to booking for aviation fuel ahead with the suppliers because of its limited supply.

He added that the limited quantity available was what was being shared to airlines by suppliers at the airport.

Saroke explained that the passengers that were stranded were mostly those who booked online since they had no prior knowledge of the scarcity.

He, however, said Azman Air had yet to experience any cancelled flight, but added that “what it’s experiencing is delays; but it has been able to fly few flights.

“Like today, there was a 9:45 a.m. flight from Kano to Abuja and Abuja to Yola and it is expected to return to Abuja if they can get fuel in Yola,’’ he said.

Mr John Onaji, a passenger, said he booked to travel with Arik Air to Lagos on Monday but could not travel as the flight was cancelled because of fuel scarcity.

Onaji said he had decided to travel by road since the situation on the road was said to be better.

“I booked for Monday but could not travel yesterday because of the scarcity and today again they said the situation is still the same.

“I have decided to travel by road because the situation on the road is said to be better,’’ he said.