The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
(FAAN) says it’s new “Passenger Service
Portal’’ is to handle 15 million passengers
at the nation’s airports before the end of
2014.
Mr Yakubu Dati, its General Manager,
Corporate Communications, said this on
Thursday in a statement to aviation
correspondents at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport (MMIA)
in Lagos.
He disclosed that with the use of the
portal, the authority had so far recorded
12 million passengers.
Dati said that the introduction of the
portal would further bring a turning point
to the country’s passenger’s statistics to
increase by three million before the end of
the year.
He said that the aviation sector had
braced up for the envisaged upsurge in
passenger traffic this Yuletide as the
portal platform would empower
passengers with tools to make their
travelling experience seamless.
The general manager said that with over
15 million passengers estimated to be the
number of those expected to board
aircraft in Nigeria in 2014, the need to
provide support to passengers cannot be
over emphasised.
“The year 2014 has been a significant
year in the aviation sector globally as it
marks the centenary of the commercial
aviation industry with 65 billion
passengers in its kitty.
“Following that experience, aviation would
later play a leading role in shaping the
lives of people in Nigeria and all over the
world.
“Some of these passengers will be flying
for business, work and leisure. However,
every passenger that flies passes through
an airport and that tells a much broader
story,’’ he said.
Dati said that the Aviation Minister, Mr
Osita Chidoka, had hit the target when he
zeroed in on the need for improved
passenger service at our airports.
“The launching of the passenger service
portal and helpline has sent clear signals
that this ebullient minister who rode to
power on the back of his great strides as
a Corp Marshall is matching words with
action.
“Of course, picking the strategic first week
of December to launch the Passengers
Service Portal (PSP):
www.aviationportal.com.ng and call
centre helpline 0700011111 was novel
and noble.
“These platforms empower passengers
with information at their fingertips,’’ he
said.
He said that passengers and the general
public could easily access information on
flight availability, local airport information,
weather forecast and airline performance
analyses.
“Furthermore, visitors will have access to
online aviation forums, industry news and
aviation commit updates.
“It will not only bridge critical lapses in
the manner our airports and airlines
currently operate, but most importantly
improve service delivery at our airports,
redress delays, cancellations, dearth of
information and deplorable services
bedeviling the sector.
“The passenger service portal and call
centre helpline will provide a one-stop
platform for passengers to get access to
information about hotels, car hire services
and hospitals on line.
“While airport users are entitled to seek
redress for shoddy services, unruly
passengers will be profiled through a
mandatory identification for checking in
process and possibly be barred from
flying in our airports,’’ Dati said. (NAN)
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