NAHCo acquires solar-powered passenger steps

Shola Adekola, Lagos

Harold Demuren, DG, NCAATHE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCo) has become the first aviation ground handling company in Africa to use solar-powered passenger steps, which are used by air travellers to board or disembark from aircraft, for its passenger facilitation operations.

According to the public affairs officer of the company,Demola Akinbola, the solar-powered passenger steps, which were acquired in January 2008 by NAHCo, have already been deployed at the new domestic terminal and the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos.

The steps, which were manufactured in The Netherlands by Master Equipment and distributed by KLM Equipment Services, are in two categories of pax regular and pax canopy, and have been manufactured in compliance with international standards.

Akinbola however said the equipments are suitable for the handling of aircraft with a disembarked height from 2500mm until 3800mm. The steps are fitted with canopies which protect passengers from harsh weather conditions when boarding aircraft or when dis-embarking.

The deployment of this equipment has enhanced NAHCo’s service delivery as passengers and clients of the airlines find it more convenient to use the equipment while with the deployment to services of these steps, the total number of passenger steps owned by NAHCo has increased to 33 and they are deployed at the Lagos , Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt , Calabar, Jos, and Enugu airports where the company operates.

These passenger steps are part of the over $3million worth of equipment ordered by NAHCo last year, and part of a larger global budget of over US$6million spent on new equipment by the company since 2005 when the new management took over the mantle of leadership.

Meanwhile, the company has won a new business deal as it has been appointed by Etihad Crystal Cargo Airline as its handler for its operations in Nigeria. Etihad, which has its base at Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates (UAE), started plying Nigerian route from Sunday, 30 March, 2008.