Well put F4F. I fly into Abuja, Lagos and Kano on a regular basis for a major European carrier, and these are by far the most challenging destinations that we operate to. Not that the airports pose a particular problem, but the unpredictability of the infrastructure, the atrocious ATC, and at certain times of the year the weather make it stressful. Have had all the aerodrome lights fail on short final (twice on the same dark night), is a particularly pleasant memory.
There are no SID’s and STAR’s separating the inbound and outbound traffic flows (last time resulting in a clearance for a straight-in approach from FL200 at 25 miles out, yeah right), it comes down to having to sort things out yourself and telling ATC how you will be doing things as they appear clueless as to what an aircraft does and what it can do. Making things very inefficient, and dangerous. It took a mid-air from New Delhi to sort out this oversight in that airspace, but it is a lesson that applies to many other areas in the world, including this one.
Traffic is increasing in Nigerian airspace, and without improvements we will be returning to this subject more often than we already do.
The Nigerian government would do themselves a great favour by using some of the 45 billion dollars that their oil generates to improve their aviation infrastructure. But undoubtedly it will be the same as it always goes, lots of hot air, and nothing will change, shameful.
I would love IFALPA to grow themselves a set, and go to a catagory beyond a black star, it might be the only way to get something done.
My sympathies to the families.
Greetings O.