Having just come back alive from my daily patrol through Nigeria Airspace, I just have to post a comment or two here. The fact that any flights into or out of Lagos actually make it through alive must be by sheer accident and not design. Problem is that one get so used to the total lack of Air Traffic Control.
Just an example from today. Approaching "The Centre Of Excellence" and listening to the R/T, I had to shake my head.There was a total lack of Radio Discipline with especialy the local carriers loving to transmit anytime they choose.They probably think that their have a right to break into another aircraft's transmission. We were then placed under radar control and given a heading to steer. Going through 10 000, I started noticing that the controller was asking for level passing and DME maybe a little to much for someone that should be staring at the information in front of him.
Since I'm still barreling along on the heading I was given to steer,I asked him whether we're still under Radar Control, he just said No and that the Radar had failed.I then suggested, that since he does'nt know where we are anymore, we maybe head towards LAG.He also thought it was a good idea.A couple of minutes later we get told that we are under radar control again and was given another heading to steer.Just as we are about to go through the localiser, I suggested that a turn at this point might be a good idea. He agreed and cleared us for the approach.
Now,if this sort of thing happens once a month, one sort of looks away, but tomorrow, I've got to do it all over again and endure more of the same.Better that I not get started on Port Harcourt as nobody wants to read a 10 page post.