International travelers departing from Nigeria found themselves stranded in various locations, including Lagos, Cairo, Doha, London, and others, on Wednesday and Thursday due to baggage belt malfunctions at the new terminal of Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
These technical issues forced airlines to delay or cancel flights, leading to travel disruptions.
The chaotic situation persisted as both the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and foreign airlines worked to address congestion and baggage problems at the new MMIA terminal. This chaos followed the abrupt relocation of foreign airlines from Lagos airport’s international terminal to the newly opened adjacent terminal in March.
The new terminal, constructed with loans from China by the Federal Government, had been underutilized until FAAN instructed numerous international airlines to move there on Wednesday. This move, initially scheduled by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, for October 1, 2023, was enforced by FAAN on Wednesday.
The same day, a fire incident occurred in part of the baggage hall at MMIA, leading to passenger and staff evacuations.
Despite a brief return to the terminal, FAAN officials ordered airlines to relocate to the new terminal at around 8 pm, which was met with resistance.
This resistance prompted FAAN to shut down the check-in system. Airlines eventually relocated to the new terminal around 9 pm, but issues such as congestion, frequent baggage belt failures, logistical challenges, and other problems caused pandemonium.
The chaos resulted in over four hours of delays for international airlines, causing many passengers to miss their connecting flights in cities like London, Cairo, Doha, Amsterdam, and Paris. Kenya Airways had to cancel flights due to crew rest period violations, with stranded passengers relocated to a Lagos hotel.
FAAN’s Director of Media, Mr. Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, attributed the sudden relocation to airport fire and power supply issues, assuring that FAAN was working to improve the situation.
However, European carrier officials emphasized the need for a holistic approach to address the situation.
They cited issues with the new terminal’s baggage handling capacity, space constraints, and the unclear timing of the relocation, which led to the chaos.
In response to the situation, FAAN announced the expedited relocation of passengers to the new International Terminal at MMIA, citing the recent fire incident as a contributing factor.
The move aligns with the Minister of Aviation’s directive to overhaul Terminal 1 by October 1, 2023, to enhance the passenger experience. Travelers were urged to arrive early to complete check-in formalities and avoid flight delays.
