By GABRIEL AGBEJA

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Wednesday, urged airlines to review flight schedules during the yuletide in a bid to curb incidences of flight delays and cancellations.

Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this in Abuja, at a retreat organised for the FAAN Governing Board and Stakeholders.

It had the theme: “Future-proofing FAAN: Leadership, modernisation and Strategic renewal”.

She said that FAAN had commenced weekly meetings with relevant stakeholders, to ensure a smooth flight operation between December and January 2026.

She aid that there are ongoing efforts to fix faulty cooling systems, address power challenges, and maintain a clean environment during the festive period.

“For the season, crucially, we must ensure that all our airports are safe, secure, and welcoming spaces for our guests, who are the reason for our existence.

“We know that the challenge we continue to have around the peak period are delays from airlines.

“We are asking the airlines, in conjunction with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to review their schedules and at least make information available in a timely manner where delays exist,” she said.

Kuku said that the authority is working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the airports experience smooth operation during the holiday.

“We are speaking very closely with all of the our stakeholders; We started facilitation meetings every week, as opposed to quarterly, with all the ground handlers as well as the airlines.

“So, I can assure Nigerians during the peak period that we are making our environment comfortable from a passenger experience perspective.

“We are ensuring that the cooling systems are working at the airports and working overnight.

“Sanitary environment is something that we have seen complaints about; we are pulling in facility managers into most of those major airports as well,” she said.

According to her, FAAN has began working with electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to address power shortage, especially in Lagos, in order to sustain a comfortable environment at airports.

On revenue generation, Kuku said that FAAN had increased its aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenue target.

“Under the leadership of this present administration, where we took over in December 2023, we have increased our revenue significantly, and not just due to the FX fluctuations.

“If you look at our non-aeronautical revenue, we have increased our non-aeronautical revenue by over 50 per cent.

“Our aeronautical revenue, which comprises landing, parking, and passenger service charges, has also increased,” she said

Kuku assured that FAAN is on track as it relates to revenue targets, and expressed hope that the authority will continue to be self-sustaining. (NAN)