Airlines Prepare For Automated Passenger Check-In At MMIA

International airlines that operate in 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 very 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 added that in the next two weeks all international airlines operating in Nigeria would resume automated passenger facilitation.

According to him, “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 like KLM, Air France, British Airways, and Delta Airlines were already onboard and have had their cables linked to RESA equipment.

“The DG even asked specifically of Delta Airlines, 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, and all the equipment are here, and from all intent and indications, within the next 10 days and two weeks, we will have everyone fully on board because the team and the airlines are ready,” FAAN managing director said.

He disclosed that the target from the outset 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.

According to him, “Additionally, the previous system we had was Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE), but we have upgraded to new technology of Common User Passengers Processing System (CUPPS). This is the new technology which FAAN and Nigeria are now using for five airports.

“The self-service kiosk we never had Common User Self Service (CUSE) comes with it now. The departure control system we never had is all now here; baggage reconciliation system is coming here; Flight Information Display System (FIDS) is in Lagos not in Abuja. So all the items spelt out in the contract are here, the improved package and improved software with a much wider coverage for all Nigerians are there now, so we are very proud of this, and we regret the inconveniences that happened along the way, they were never intended.”

On the airfield lighting of the domestic runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, known as Runway 18L, Yadudu said work was about 95 per cent completed on the taxiway, adding that soon the lighting on the runway would be installed with the minister’s intervention in the on-going litigation against the project.

“For the last two years since I became the MD of FAAN, our primary target, among others, is the airfield lighting on runway 18L and the taxiway Bravo, and we thank God now that taxiway Bravo is 95 per cent done. We just came from the inspection tour; it has been achieved.

“Runway 18L has been delayed because of a current contract that has been for many years, and finally, the 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. As 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 because of negligence or lack of attention-it’s because you have to follow due process,” he said.