Airline operators and their passengers are lamenting the effects of the harmattan haze that has made it impossible for flights to land or take off from Benin City since Sunday.
The harmattan haze has engulfed Benin City since Sunday reducing visibility in the city and the once busy airport had become a ghost of its former self.
Few passengers around who came to check if it was safe to fly were upset about the handling of the situation by some of the airline operators.
“It’s not nice…this flight is supposed to be for 1:59 this is past 12 there is no notification and you are telling me stories? Who do I speak to? Let me talk to somebody,” one of the stranded travelers said.
Another passenger, Emmanuel said “I came with my uncle to catch a flight, but unfortunately the weather condition is very bad, I don’t think the flight will be landing today so we have to go by road now”.
Airport car hire operators who are also experiencing the unpleasant situation said it has impacted negatively on their economy in the yuletide.
Martins Onighama said: “This is where we feed our family, this period is supposed to be our season. This is the time we are supposed to make money but we are just here now doing nothing.”
An airport operations officer, however, had word of comfort for the passengers.
“We appeal to all our passengers, our esteemed customers since it’s not a man-made situation, it’s a natural thing, with time it will go and we will resume full operations again,” Yusuf Usman said.
