International airlines that operate into Nigeria have started integrating their facilities to the new Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) operated by RESA three months after SITA, which hitherto provided the service, pulled out.
This means that soon the airlines would resume automated passenger facilitation after several weeks of manual check in that caused delays and security breach.
This was disclosed in Lagos at the weekend by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu who said in the next two weeks all international airlines operating in Nigeria would resume automated passenger facilitation.
“We have made progress on passenger facilitation. The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wanted to see and inspect what is happening so we decided to do a joint inspection. We saw that some airlines were already onboard like KLM/Air France, British Airways; Delta Air Lines already have their cables linked to RESA equipment.
“The DG even asked specifically of Delta and he was shown the process. They have not fully connected but they have gone far to be fully integrated on the RESA platform, The technicians came almost two weeks ago all the equipment are here and from all intent and indications within the next maybe 10 days and two weeks we will have everyone fully on board because the team is ready and the airlines are ready,” FAAN Managing Director said.
He disclosed that the target from the onset for FAAN was to make sure the system, which in the past covered all Lagos and Abuja airports only, was improved to include other international airports in the country.
“Additionally, the previous system we had is CUTE, the Common User Terminal Equipment but we now went for the upgrade, new technology of the CUPPS: Common User Passengers Processing system, this was the new technology since 2009 and now 11 years later FAAN and Nigeria are using the CUPPS system and for five airports.
“The self service Kiosk we never had CUSE, Common User Self Service, it comes with it now. The departure control system we never had is all now here, baggage reconciliation system is coming here; FIDS, Flight Information Display System in Lagos but not in Abuja is now all over. So all the items spelt out in the contract are here, the improved package and improved soft ware with a much wider coverage for all Nigerians so for us we are very proud of this and we regret the inconveniences that happened along the way, never intended,” Yadudu said.
On the airfield lighting of the domestic runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, known as Runway 18L, Captain Yadudu said work is about 95 per cent completed on the taxiway and soon the lighting on the runway proper would be installed with the Minister’s intervention in the on-going litigation against the project.
“For the last two years since I became MD of FAAN, our primary target, among others, is the airfield lighting on runway 18L and then taxiway Bravo and we thank God now taxiway bravo is 95 per cent done. We just came from the inspection; it has been achieved.
“Runway 18 Left has been delayed because of a current contract that has been for many years and finally, the Honorable Minister has graciously accepted to resolve that issue that has been protracted and he has agreed to grant us permission or approval to quickly procure a new lighting system. You know FAAN is a government agency; we cannot work and procure a new project when there is an existing one on the same facility. So many things you see that are delayed, are not delayed because of negligence or lack of attention; it’s because you have to follow due process,” he said.
