Port Harcourt International Airport
Encyclopedia
Port Harcourt International Airport is an international airport
located in Omagwa, a suburb of Port Harcourt city in Rivers State
, Nigeria
. The airport
consists of a single terminal with separate facilities for international and domestic flights. In 2009, the airport served 1,081,587 passengers, making it the third busiest airport in Nigeria.
On August 18, 2006, the airport was closed for repairs. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
stated that the emergency shutdown was in order to overhaul the runway and build a fence around the facility. Such maintenance had been in planning stages for several months, but an electrical fire on August 17, 2006 made repairs immediately necessary. All domestic flights were diverted to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport
, Akanu Ibiam International Airport
and Margaret Ekpo International Airport
while international flights were diverted to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
, Abuja or Murtala Mohammed International Airport
, Lagos.
Repair work started in January 2007, while re-opening was originally expected to be in August 2007. In June 2007, work was suspended due to safety concerns of the engineers.
In December 2007, the airport was reopened to a limited capacity. Operations were restricted to daytime until the first quarter of 2008, by which time the new CAT III lighting system became fully operational.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
located in Omagwa, a suburb of Port Harcourt city in Rivers State
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. The airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
consists of a single terminal with separate facilities for international and domestic flights. In 2009, the airport served 1,081,587 passengers, making it the third busiest airport in Nigeria.
On August 18, 2006, the airport was closed for repairs. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is the civil aviation authority of Nigeria. It has its head office on the grounds of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, and its Lagos office is in Aviation House on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.The current Director...
stated that the emergency shutdown was in order to overhaul the runway and build a fence around the facility. Such maintenance had been in planning stages for several months, but an electrical fire on August 17, 2006 made repairs immediately necessary. All domestic flights were diverted to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport
Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport
Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport , also known as Imo State Airport, is an airport serving Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in southern-eastern Nigeria. The airport is named in honor of a former governor and politician-philanthropist, the late Chief Sam Mbakwe of Imo State.-Facilities:The...
, Akanu Ibiam International Airport
Akanu Ibiam International Airport
Akanu Ibiam International Airport , also known as Enugu Airport, is an airport serving Enugu, the capital city of Enugu State of Nigeria. The airport is named after the late Akanu Ibiam , a Medical Doctor and Statesman who hails from Afikpo in Ebonyi State.The Akanu Ibiam International Airport in...
and Margaret Ekpo International Airport
Margaret Ekpo International Airport
Margaret Ekpo International Airport , also known as Calabar Airport, is an airport serving Calabar, a city in Cross River State in Nigeria.-Airlines and destinations:...
while international flights were diverted to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is an international airport located in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, and is the main airport serving the Nigerian capital city. It was named after Nigeria's first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. It consists of an international and a domestic terminal. Both terminals...
, Abuja or Murtala Mohammed International Airport
Murtala Mohammed International Airport
Murtala Muhammed International Airport is an international airport located in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, and is the major airport serving the city of Lagos, southwestern Nigeria and the entire nation. Originally known as Lagos International Airport, it was renamed midway during construction...
, Lagos.
Repair work started in January 2007, while re-opening was originally expected to be in August 2007. In June 2007, work was suspended due to safety concerns of the engineers.
In December 2007, the airport was reopened to a limited capacity. Operations were restricted to daytime until the first quarter of 2008, by which time the new CAT III lighting system became fully operational.
Statistics
| Year | Total Passengers | % Increase | Freight (tons) | Total Aircraft Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 917,151(JAN-AUG) | |||
| 2007 | ||||
| 2008 | 868,458 | |||
| 2009 | 1,081,587 | 24.5% |
Airlines and destinations
Incidents and accidents
- On 17 December 1996, an MK Airlines DC-8-55F arriving from Luxembourg struck trees, landed short of the runway and burned. All four crew survived.
- On 27 November 2001, an MK AirlinesMK AirlinesMK Airlines Ltd. was a cargo airline from Ghana , which was operational between 1990 and 2010, concentrating on freight services to and from Africa...
Boeing 747-200F crashed in bad weather on short final to Port Harcourt International Airport, killing one crew member. Nigeria's Ministry of Aviation, produced a Civil Aviation Accident Report (FMA/AIPB/389) that found the pilot was using a nonstandard final approach on autopilot below 2000 feet, contrary to the company's policy.
- On 10 December 2005 Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 was a scheduled flight between the Nigerian cities of Abuja and Port Harcourt .At about 14:08 local time on 10 December 2005, Flight 1145 from Abuja crash-landed on the runway at Port Harcourt International Airport. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 with 110...
crashed at Port Harcourt Airport after flying from Nnamdi Azikiwe International AirportNnamdi Azikiwe International AirportNnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is an international airport located in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, and is the main airport serving the Nigerian capital city. It was named after Nigeria's first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. It consists of an international and a domestic terminal. Both terminals...
in AbujaAbujaAbuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
. Of 110 passengers and crew on board, there were only two survivors.