Early Arrivals Crowd Lagos Airport Terminals Due To Ongoing Protests

Early Arrivals Crowd Lagos Airport Terminals Due To Ongoing Protests

Following the nationwide protests, Lagos airport terminals were crowded on Thursday morning as passengers scheduled to fly throughout the day arrived early to avoid disruptions caused by the protests.

While the airport surroundings were mostly empty with minimal vehicle movement, the terminals at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2), and the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) were packed with passengers awaiting their flights.

BusinessDay’s findings revealed that while most airlines continued their operations, a few had to cancel flights due to the protests. For instance, Air Peace canceled its flights to Kano and Ibadan, while Value Jet delayed one of its domestic flights.

Sources at the airport informed BusinessDay that some flight delays were due to the protests, while others were caused by weather conditions. Air Peace also delayed its Benin flight due to adverse weather.

“Some airlines have delayed their flights to allow late-arriving passengers to board, while others are affected by the current unpredictable weather across the country,” a source told BusinessDay.

Jennifer Onyedika, a passenger at MMA2, told BusinessDay that she arrived at the airport around 5:30 am for her 3:00 pm flight to Abuja to avoid being held up by the protests. “A lot of people at the airport arrived very early, which is why it’s so crowded. People are just waiting for their flights, many of which are scheduled for the afternoon and evening,” she said.

Onyedika noted that most airlines were operating with only a few cancellations and delays, which were understandable given the circumstances. “I’m happy the airline staff are managing the crowd well, attending to passengers according to their flight times to help decongest the terminal,” she added.

Food vendors at the airport were making substantial sales as passengers ordered food and drinks while waiting for their flights.

Access to the airport terminals was further complicated by blocked roads leading to the airport, making it difficult for passengers and vehicles to reach the terminals.