GAT Operating Illegally – Babalakin SAN

The Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd, Dr Wale Babalakin, has stated that the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos was still operating illegally because based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, it was part of BASL’s facility.

Speaking shortly after inaugurating ‘The Art Experience’, an art gallery, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two to commemorate BASL’s 16 anniversary at the weekend, Babalakin said, “I am alarmed that we have not commenced regional operations because we went through the entire process. We were certified, but we have not been allowed to take off.

“Then, GAT is still operating illegally because based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, the GAT is part of our facility. I hope that those who have power and in the position of authority will know that you encourage enterprise when you follow the rule of law. Once you follow the rule of law, your country will become an investment destination. But if people are looking at us from afar and say, ‘what am I going to do here when a simple agreement has not been honoured’, it is not good for anybody to operate in the county.”

The BASL boss also decried the delay in the commencement of regional operations from the MMA2 16 years after being granted approval by government under the Build Operate and Transfer arrangement.  He added that even when the terminal had all facilities for regional flights, government authorities had refused to allow it to operate.

The Bi-Courtney boss, who revealed that the MMA2 terminal remained a world-class facility and the best in the country, explained that the best architects were engaged to design the terminal that will stand the test of time.

“The first thing is that it was a deliberate effort. The design was a major assignment. We did not just start building. We sat down with the best architects in the world to design a terminal that will have a flow. It is the flow that has made it easy for people to operate here. You can see the link between the car park and the terminal. So, you are not going through a disjointed journey because you want to travel. You can see that from when you come off the escalator, it is a seamless process till you board the plane.

“And you can also see that we have been very disciplined. We have disallowed passengers from operating on our tarmac. We find a way of transporting them. We think that it is backward to have passengers walking in terminals because it is dangerous. It only takes one accident and the county will be embarrassed. I think that there was a lot of deliberate efforts to design an outstanding terminal.” he added.

Speaking on the newly unveiled gallery at the terminal, he said BASL planned to continue to raise the standard of the terminal and offer travellers an experience that is beyond just traveling.

“The mandate I gave to the management is to create an environment where people can eat, shop, entertain and in the process fly. It is not an environment where you come and queue in the sun because you want to fly. If you decide to come and fly in MMA2, we have a gallery for flowers. You can buy flowers, have lunch or resolve some communications issues with the companies. You can stay in the lounge, which has internet facilities and do your business. What we have tried to do is to uplift the standards with the hope that anybody who decides to build an airport tomorrow will have all these standards incorporated into their terminals,” he said.