The Federal Government and the British government have agreed to allow British Airways to continue to operate its full flight frequencies to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for another one week.The extension is to allow the parties resolve the recent flight dispute that broke out between the two countries.Consequently, BA will continue to operate its seven weekly flights into MMIA till November 15. The Federal Government had last week slashed BA flights into MMIA from seven per week to three, effective November 8. The decision came after a Nigerian airline was allegedly denied take-off and landing slots in London Heathrow Airport. The United Kingdom and Nigerian authorities consequently began talks over the matter. It was, however, learnt on Monday that the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah and the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Llyod, met in Abuja to agree on a seven-day extension for BA on the new slot regime. The meeting was attended by other officials of the United Kingdom government and the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi. A statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Mr. Joseph Obi, confirmed the extension.The statement read, "Following discussions between the British and Nigerian authorities on the reduction of British Airways slots into the Murtala Mohammed International Aiport, Lagos, and appeals by the British government,the Minister of Aviation has graciously granted the foreign airline an extention of one week."By this development, BA can continue to utilise its full slots into MMIA Lagos up till Tuesday, November 15, 2011. This extension is to give way for further discussions on all the issues under consideration. The Ministry of Aviation, however, assures that Nigerias national interest will strongly be protected in the on-going negotiations."A statement by BA also confirmed the development. The Country Manager, BA, Mr. Kola Olayinka, said, "We have an agreement with the Nigerian government on the issue at hand. Between the two governments, meetings will commence immediately. "All our passengers are consequently saved any disruption, as all flights are scheduled to operate as planned."Meanwhile, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has stated its desire to engage the services of consultants to recover debts owed it by airline operators and other ancillary service providers.Airline operators and other facility users at the airport owe both FAAN and the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority over N36bn as at last year.A source, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, said the debtors had not been responding to the moves by the FAAN management to recover the debts, adding that providing more and improved infrastructure at the airports depended on the facility users cooperation to pay up promptly.Although the source could not give a precise amount that had been collected so far, he, put the amount owed FAAN at over N19bn.''The source said, "The debts currently stand at over N19bn. We have done everything within our powers to make them pay but their response has been unimpressive. Now things cannot be done as it they were supposed to be and even paying salaries is becoming difficult too."I dont believe it is fair for us to take drastic decisions that will make the situation appear as if we are bent on destroying anybodys business, but with the way things are going, we might be compelled to engage the services of a consultant to help recover the debts since we have been pleading with them and they have refused to pay up."For a long time, FAAN as well as its sister agencies at the airport have been on the warpath with the debtors as several attempts to make them pay their debts had remained futile. The renewed drive by the FAAN management to get them to pay up is not unconnected with the desire of the Minister of Aviation. Mrs. Stella Oduah, to ensure that all the money owed the agencies is paid to the last kobo.The source said, "What we are doing is aligning with the agenda of the minister, which is part of President Goodluck Jonathans transformation agenda. The minister is very much concerned with the state of infrastructure at the airports and she is doing everything to improve on them, but a lot of money would be required to do this. There is need to effect changes by providing the necessary infrastructure as applicable in all standard airports all over the world."The managing director is also tagging along with the minister in this regard. He has said times without number since he came on board that everything must be done to upgrade airport facilities as part of the economic transformation agenda, As for the concession, everybody knows that it was lopsided, and that is why the minister has called for a review. A concession agreement should benefit both parties, but in this case, it is benefiting only one party, whereas it is supposed to pay the investor and the principal."On assumption of duty, the minister had frown upon the huge debts owed the agencies by the operators. She vowed to ensure that all the debts were recovered so as to enable the sector to key into the economic transformation of the President.Last month, members of the House of Representatives also raised the alarm when the debt profile of the operators was brought to their notice by the minister and heads of the aviation agencies.The House Committee on Aviation, chaired by Nkiruka Onyejeocha, said there was no way the sector could thrive if the operators refused to pay up what they owed.Last year, the former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, gave the airlines a 30-month period to pay up their debts. But as at April this year, none of the airlines had complied with the directive.
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