The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), says it is putting logistics in place to commence operations at the Terminal D of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from April 19.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He also said that the authority took advantage of the six week closure of the airport to expand operation at the terminal.
Dunoma, however, assured that all the ongoing works at the terminal building would be completed before Wednesday, adding that Abuja airport would reopen as a brand new airport.
When NAN visited the airport on Monday, contractors were seen busy putting finishing touches to the terminal in preparation for the reopening of the airport on Wednesday.
Terminal D, which hitherto used as ticketing area by Arik Air, Air Peace and Dana Air, will henceforth be used as departure hall for domestic passengers in addition to the existing Terminal B.
FAAN’s spokesperson for the Airport, Mrs Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, said the terminal would continue to serve the three airlines, adding that their passengers would henceforth board flights from there.
Hope-Ivbaze also said passengers of Arik, Air Peace, and Dana Air would no longer have to go to Terminal B to wait for their flights.
She further said plan was to decongest the local wing and ease the suffering of passengers who always passed through stress to go to departure after booking.
“The terminal B is being arranged to also serve as departure for domestic passengers of three airlines that operate here.
“Everything here is of standard, we have installed 10 air conditioners here and we are installing lift and escalator,’’ she said.
Also at the Terminal B, lift has been installed to help physically challenged persons who travel through the airport.
All the seats at the terminal, including the protocol lounge, have been changed to new ones ahead of the reopening.
At the arrival section, all the seats have also being replaced with new ones, while the all the toilets have been fixed and cleaned up.
The entire terminal building has been renovated; the international wing rehabilitated and cleaned up for operation.
Abuja airport was shut on March 8 for the repairs of its runway for six weeks while flights were diverted to Kaduna International Airport.
The rehabilitation work on the runway has been completed while the airport is billed to reopen on Wednesday. (NAN)
OYS/ASS/DUA