The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has raised the fire-fighting capacity of Chinua Achebe International Airport (CAICA), Umueri, Anambra State, from Category Six (CAT-6) to Category Seven (CAT-7).
The Managing Director of CAICA, Martins Nwafor, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Umueri, near Onitsha, on Sunday.
Mr Nwafor said the upgrade followed improvements in fire-fighting equipment and staff training, enabling the airport to meet the NCAA’s minimum safety standards for Category Seven Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services.
He explained that the new classification would allow the airport to accommodate larger aircraft requiring higher fire-fighting and emergency response capabilities.
According to him, the development is part of efforts to establish the airport as a major aviation hub and a preferred destination and departure point for air travellers.
Mr Nwafor said the NCAA had conducted an audit and upgraded the airport’s Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Service from CAT-6 to CAT-7, expressing optimism about attracting larger aircraft.
He added that the airport recently organised a two-week refresher training programme for most of its staff, covering wildlife management, airside operations, airside driving, administration and human resources management.
The managing director also confirmed that United Nigeria Airlines introduced Embraer 190 and CRJ 900 aircraft on its Abuja-Anambra route from November 5, replacing the previous aircraft.
He described the development as a significant improvement in air transportation to and from the state.
According to him, the aircraft would offer passengers greater comfort and convenience while improving connectivity between Anambra and major Nigerian cities, including Abuja and Lagos.
However, Mr Nwafor noted that the airport was still operating below its installed capacity despite increasing demand for air travel, attributing the situation to the limited number of flights and airline operators.
He commended Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines for providing services at the airport.
He also disclosed that the Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) system, which facilitates coordination and information-sharing between airport management and airlines, was operational and functioning effectively.
Mr Nwafor said the airport had passengers but needed more airlines to introduce flights and serve additional routes beyond Lagos and Abuja.
He explained that the airport was still developing its routes because it was relatively new, adding that management was engaging airline operators to explore connections to destinations such as Kano, Bauchi and Gombe, possibly on selected days of the week rather than daily.
The aviation expert described air transport as one of the safest and fastest means of travelling, despite its relatively high cost.
He noted that air travel allowed passengers to cover long distances within a short period, stressing that safety remained the industry’s top priority.
(NAN)
