Hazy weather forces cancellation of flights at Abuja Airport

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday following cancellation of flights to northern parts of the country due to hazy weather.

An official of the airport who pleaded anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the cancellations only affected the north-bound passengers because of the hazy weather over the region.

The official said the cancellations were safety measures often taken by the authority and the airline operators to avoid ugly air incidents.

Mr Abdullahi Saroke, Deputy Station Manager, Azman Air Services, also told NAN that all flights to the region, except Maiduguri, were affected, adding that Maiduguri’s weather was not hazy.

Saroke explained that the hazy weather started on Tuesday but got worse between Wednesday and Thursday, especially over Kano, Sokoto and Yola.

“It is a natural occurrence that is beyond human control, which is why the affected passengers must bear with the airlines.

“We are still expecting that the visibility would get better later in the evening but for now, no flight to Kano, Sokoto and Yola except Maiduguri’’, he said.

Some of the passengers, who spoke with NAN, said the cancellation was necessary for safety irrespective of the hardships caused by the situation.

One of the passengers, Mrs Josephine Manu, said she was billed to travel to Kano for an official assignment but the suspension or cancellation of the flights to the state had adversely affected her schedule.

Manu said passengers were informed that flights to the northern parts of the country could only be possible if the hazy weather over the region got better later in the day.

 (NAN)