Martins Nwafor, Managing Director of Chinua Achebe Airport, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umueri on Tuesday.

Nwafor said about 4,000 airlifts had passed through the airport with an average of six flights per day.

He said the first four months had low activity as it was the route building period.

He said the airport had two major flight operators using the airport on full scheduled commercial operations with a number of private operators.

The Managing Director said the Chinua Achebe Airport was ready for increased traffic during the Yuletide season, saying that services would be both day and night.

Nwafor said compared with the peers of the airport and considering how young it was in the industry, the airport was faring badly

“We started operations here on Dec. 7, 2021, that is about one year and 11 months and so far, we have had 4,000 flights with about 250,000 passengers passing through this airport.

“We are still working to improve our services, we hope that passengers will increase and that will lead to more airline companies coming down here.

“The Chinua Achebe Airport is ready for the yuletide, our services will be available for both day and night operations and we have about 76 airport taxi operators who have been screened by the DSS, so safety of passengers is guaranteed,” he said.

Nwafor said air transport remained the most economical way to travel considering the safety, speed and comfort it gives to passenger

According to him, air transport is not elitist, when you consider the condition of our roads, the safety environment and how they affect businesses negatively, you will realise that additional cost to travel by air is far less than its numerous benefits,” he said