The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said on Monday that there has been tremendous patronage of the airspace in recent time as it recorded 28,165 Over- flyers operated by 517 foreign airlines last year.
Management of the Agency attributed the increased patronage to the improved air navigation services within the nation’s airspace.
According to Mr Supo Atobatele, general manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, he airlines that have been overflying the airspace include: Group Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Maroc, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirate Airlines, British Airways Plc, Asky Airlines, Iberia-Lineasaereas de espana, Group Air Senegal (Senegal Airlines), Brussels Airlines, Ceiba International, Deutshe Lufthansa AG, Cameroon Airlines Corporation, Air Namibia, Egypt Air, KLM Royal Airlines, Qatar Airways, Trans Air Cargo and Cronos Airlines.
During the time under review, he noted that, 20 out of the 517 airlines accounted for 80% of the aggregate over flight operations with an average of 1,879 per month.
The top five airlines were: Group Air France (3,505), Ethiopia airlines (2,289), Royal Air Maroc (1,909), Kenya Airways (1,888) and South African Airways (1,859).
The en-route international flight operations which connote all international flights into Nigerian airports which are sub-divided into scheduled and non-scheduled flight operations in the year under review, had total of 41,081 en-route operations by 329 airlines.
Similarly, 26 scheduled airlines that operated in the Nigerian airports recorded 28,532 operations which contributed 70% to the aggregate operations.
The highest operation was in the month of December with 2,691 operations and the least recorded was in the month of February with 1,764 operations.
Arik Air had 4,760 flights which were the highest with 17% contribution to the aggregate operations followed by Deuthsche Lufthansa with 2,481 flights and contribution of 9% to the operations.
Groupe Air France had a total of 1,922 flights and 7% contribution; Ethiopia airlines with 1,921 flights and contributed 7% while the British Airways Plc recorded 1,706 and contributed 6%.,
On the other hand, a total of 303 airlines operated under the non-scheduled flights recording 12,549 flight operations which is 30% contribution to the aggregate operations.
The highest flight operations were recorded in the month of November with 1,226 flight operations and the least was recorded in the month of January with 851 flights.
Engineer Nnamdi Udoh, managing director of the Agency, described the development as proof of positive result from the ongoing transformation agenda of the federal government in the aviation sector , especially the massive capital investment of more than N19 billion on navigational facilities.
“This a good sign of a healthy aviation envrironment,we are really happy with these figures .This is contrary to the previous speculations that foreign airlines are not flying our airspace, but we have done a lot to improve our services.
“I believe there will be further increase this year because of the newly introduced area radar control which we started in May this year’’, the managing director said.