(United Nigeria Airline. Photoo by Sun Nigeria)
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) closed the airport’s runway due to safety concerns following an aircraft runway excursion, prompting United Nigeria Airlines to temporarily suspend all scheduled flights to and from Benin Airport.
Flight operations on the Benin route will be suspended until aviation authorities finish recovery activities and deem the runway safe for use, according to the airline’s announcement on Thursday.
FAAN started safety inspections and recovery operations after an aircraft allegedly drifted off the runway while landing at the airport, leading to the closure of the runway.
Confirming the disruption, United Nigeria Airlines said the runway closure had made it impossible to continue operations into Benin Airport, stating that as a result of the closure by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) following a runway excursion, all its flights to and from the airport had been cancelled pending its reopening.
The carrier expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to travellers and urged affected passengers to reach out to its customer service channels for rebooking and other travel assistance, assuring customers that arrangements were being made to minimise the impact of the cancellations while stressing that passenger safety and welfare remain its highest priority.
United Nigeria Airlines further appealed for patience while FAAN concludes recovery work and completes the necessary safety checks required before normal flight operations can resume.
An aircraft excursion occurs when an aircraft leaves the runway during take-off or landing, an incident that often results in temporary runway closures to allow for aircraft recovery, damage assessment and safety evaluations before airports are reopened to air traffic.
