TheCable

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, has invited foreign airline operators to inspect the Kaduna international airport.

The airport will be used as an alternative during the six weeks that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be closed.

Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with representatives of the foreign airlines operating the Abuja route, Sirika said he called the meeting to know if the operators would need additional facilities at the Kaduna airport.

The minister said the Kaduna airport was fully ready to accommodate traffic diversion from Abuja between March 8 and April 9 – the period the Abuja runway would be undergoing repairs.

“We also planned to invite you to visit Kaduna probably in the next few days which we will be showing you the level of preparedness for the movement into Kaduna,” Sirika said.

“I thought it wise that at this point in time, having made Kaduna very ready for the operation, there is need to discuss certain things with you. I have called this meeting to discuss how movement into Kaduna would look like and to know if there are further requirements.”

Although, representatives of the foreign airlines declined to speak with journalists after the meeting, it was learnt that the Ethiopian Airlines expressed its readiness to fly to the Kaduna airport.