Blank NEWS Online can reveal that Aero Contractors, one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, begins scheduled flights at Asaba Airport today, Monday, April 7, 2014 with Lagos and Abuja as the initial routes.
This brings to three the number of airlines operating flights from Asaba as Overland and Arik had been on the route since the airport opened for commercial services on July 13 2011.
According to the flight schedule issued by Aero, daily operations into Asaba begin from Abuja at 10.10 am and depart for Lagos at 11.45am. The return flight from Lagos departs for Asaba at 14.45 pm while the Abuja flight leaves at 16.20pm.
The entrance of Aero reinforces the status of Asaba Airport as one of the busiest and most viable in the country.
After commencing commercial flight operations on July 13, 2011, Asaba Airport has handled 6,331 flights and 192,651 passengers at the end of October 2013.
This is aside from the 18 flights and 63 passengers handled before commercial flights began, bringing total operational results to 6,349 flights and 192,714 passengers.
Chike Ogeah, Delta State Commissioner for Information, speaking on the entrance of Aero into Asaba, said the dream of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, governor of Delta State, of building a hub in Asaba is on track to coming to fruition.
“It is still early days in terms of the number of airlines and the destinations being services. More routes will be opened as more airlines join the Asaba operations. More importantly, this development underscores the state of navigational facilities at the airport as being world class. The equipment installed the airport underwent rigorous screening and evaluation from all the relevant safety agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, National Civil Aviation Authority and other agencies”, Ogeah stated.
He said equipment for night flights are being acquired ahead of the commencement of operations at the cargo section of the airport.
According to him, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Mr. Pius Mordi, direct flights to Europe and other parts of the world for the export of goods are expected to begin from Asaba in the near future.
