Travel Agencies, Businesses Lament As Foreign Airlines Shun Kano Airport

Passengers traveling on international routes through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) have lamented lack of adequate foreign airlines as only the Ethopian Airline is operating at the airport.

Other airlines are said to have moved their operations from MAKIA to Abuja or Lagos since the federal government reopened the airport for international operations

The passengers noted that before the outbreak of Coronavurus, Ethiopian ,Egyptian ,Saudi and Badr Airlines were fully operating at the MAKIA.

But investigations revealed that after the re-opening of foreign operations at MAKIA on April 6th 2021,only Ethopian Airline has resumed full operation while others have failed to do same.

According to most international travelers using MAKIA, they have to travel either by road or by air from Kano to either Abuja or Lagos to book for flight since there is only Ethopian Airline operating from Kano.

They say this has subjected them to untold hardships and risk in view of present insecurity facing the country.

Alhaji Usman Balla, a passenger at the airport, ” I used to travel to Abuja by road to book for flight to China, as we all know, one can be kidnapped along the road, and to travel by air will cost additional expenses.”

Another passenger, Mr John Jacob, said he had to travel to Abuja and lodged in a hotel to catch a flight the following day because to travel by road from Kano will take about six to eight hours– a situation he said, also poses threat to lives.

Mohammed Askira, a travel agent, said the situation was worrisome as many of his colleagues were running at loss due to few customers patronizing them.

The situation has also forced business activities to be grounded at the airport due to low patronage, while some commercial banks operating at the MAKIA have equally shut down .

Also many shop owners doing business have also closed down because the airport was no longer conducive.

It would be recalled that before the covid-19 lockdown down, no fewer than six airlines were operating international routes at MAKIA.

Based on myriad of problems passengers are facing ,they called on the authorities concern to look into why foreign airlines are flying away from Kano.

All efforts to get reactions of foreign airlines did not succeed as no staff of the companies were ready to speak.