- FAAN reopens runway 22, reduces threshold to 3000metres for takeoffs, landing
A Skybird Gulfstream with Registration 5N-BOD on Wednesday night overshot the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Runway in Abuja causing delays to flights that were coming in to the airport.
The Gulfstream 4 aircraft being operated by Skybird that overshot the Runway while landing got stuck on the Runway End Safety Area (RESA), according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria which announced a partial closure of the runway 22.
The incident had no casualty but it was learnt that the aircraft was removed late into the night by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN), however the incident was not without repercussion.
Flight normalcy seems to have resumed this morning although some airlines first flights meant for as early as 7am took off around 9am. This, obviously will lead to a backlog and further create delays in the schedules of airlines.
Due to the incident, an airline had to be diverted to Kano and then later to Kaduna as authorities battled to remove the aircraft from the runway.
FAAN in a statement by General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Yakubu Henrietta (Mrs.) following the partial closure of Runway 22, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 2200hours yesterday, September 11 said that the incident involving the Gulfstream 4 aircraft being operated by Skybird that overshot the Runway while landing and consequently got stuck on the Runway End Safety Area (RESA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has now reopened the Runway to take arrivals and departures, subject to a reduced threshold of 3000metres.
The Authority will like to assure airlines and passengers that the airport is safe for normal operations
