The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has raised concerns over the impact of airspace closures in parts of the Middle East on airport revenue and Nigeria’s broader economy.

National President of the union, Comrade Ben Nnabue, who disclosed this in Lagos, noted that the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran are disrupting global travel, including flights to Nigeria.

According to him, several Nigerians are currently stranded in Dubai and Qatar, among other destinations, as a result of travel disruptions and adjusted flight frequencies. He said the situation is already affecting revenue projections for Nigerian airports.

“When the news broke, we discovered that some Nigerians are in Dubai. We travel a lot; some were in Qatar and are stranded,” Nnabue said.

He explained that airline frequency projections form part of annual budget calculations in Nigeria’s aviation sector, and any alteration to scheduled operations directly affects revenue.

“Every year, when we make budgets in Nigeria, we calculate the frequencies of the airlines. Those frequencies are now altered, so it is affecting the revenue of the airport,” he said.

Nnabue expressed hope for a swift resolution to the crisis to enable the resumption of normal travel and economic activity.

“The wish is that there should be peace in the air so that people can travel from one place to another. When planes are not coming to Nigeria, we are losing funds, and economic growth will slow down within these few days,” he added.

He said efforts were ongoing to engage Emirates and other carriers on the resumption of flights, except Qatar Airways, which he noted was not affiliated with the union.

“We hope the airspace will reopen so that foreign airlines from the affected parts of the Middle East can resume operations and people travelling for business and other purposes can do so. Aviation is a global village; what affects one part of the world affects others,” he said.

Over the weekend, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait and Syria announced partial airspace closures following escalating air strikes in Iran.

Industry observers note that the closures will compel airlines to reroute flights, leading to longer travel times, increased fuel consumption and higher operational costs. (The Nation)

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