Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA)^[1] (IATA: LOS, ICAO: DNMM) 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.

Early history

The airport at Ikeja near Lagos was built during World War II. West African Airways Corporation was formed in 1947 and had its main base at Ikeja. De Havilland Doves were initially operated on WAACs Nigerian internal routes and then West African services.^[4]. Larger Douglas Dakotas were added to the Ikeja-based fleet from 1957.^[5]

Originally known as Lagos International Airport, it was renamed in the mid 1970s, during construction of the new international terminal, after a former Nigerian military head of state Murtala Muhammed. The international terminal was modelled after Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The new terminal opened officially on 15 March 1979. It is the main base for Nigeria's flag carrier airlines, Air Nigeria and Arik Air.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport consists of an international and a domestic terminal, located about one kilometre from each other. Both terminals share the same runways. This domestic terminal used to be the old Ikeja Airport. International operations moved to the new international airport when it was ready while domestic operations moved to the Ikeja Airport, which became the domestic airport. The domestic operations were relocated to the old Lagos domestic terminal in 2000 after a fire. A new domestic privately funded terminal known as MMA2 has been constructed and was commissioned on 7 April 2007.

In 2009, the airport served 5,644,572 passengers.^[6]

Later history

During the late 1980s and 1990s, the international terminal had a reputation of being a dangerous airport. From 1992 through 2000, the US Federal Aviation Administration posted warning signs in all US international airports advising travelers that security conditions at LOS did not meet ICAO minimum standards. In 1993, the FAA suspended air service between Lagos and the United States. During this period, security at LOS continued to be a serious problem.^{[citation needed]} Travelers arriving in Lagos were harassed both inside and outside of the airport terminal by criminals. Airport staff contributed to its reputation. Immigration officers required bribes before stamping passports, while customs agents demanded payment for nonexistent fees. In addition, several jet airplanes were attacked by criminals who stopped planes taxiing to and from the terminal and robbed their cargo holds. Many travel guides suggested that Nigeria-bound travelers fly into Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano and take domestic flights or ground transportation into Lagos.^{[citation needed]}

Following Olusegun Obasanjo's democratic election in 1999, the security situation at LOS began to improve. Airport police instituted a "shoot on sight" policy for anyone found in the secure areas around runways and taxiways, stopping further airplane robberies. Police secured the inside of the terminal and the arrival areas outside. The FAA ended its suspension of direct flights to Nigeria in 2001 in recognition of these security improvements.^{[citation needed]}

Recent years have seen substantial improvements at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Malfunctioning and non-operational infrastructure such as air conditioning and luggage belts have been repaired. The entire airport has been cleaned, and many new restaurants and duty-free stores have opened. Bilateral Air Services Agreements signed between Nigeria and other countries are being revived and new ones signed. These agreements have seen the likes of Emirates, Ocean Air, Delta and China Southern Airlines express interest and receive landing rights to Nigeria's largest international airport.

The Federal Government has given approval for the expansion of the departure and arrival halls of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to accommodate the ever increasing traffic at the airport.^{[citation needed]}

Terminals, airlines and destinations

Cargo airlines

Composition

The airport includes the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.^[8] It also houses the head office of the Accident Investigation Bureau.^[9] The Lagos office of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is located in Aviation House on the grounds of the airport.^[10]

Arik Air's head office is in the Arik Air Aviation Center on the grounds of the airport.^[11] Aero Contractors has its head office in the Private Terminal of the Domestic Wing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.^[12][13]

Prior to its disestablishment Afrijet Airlines had its head office in the NAHCO Building on the grounds of the airport.^[14]

Statistics

Accidents and incidents

• On 20 November 1969, Nigeria Airways Flight 825 crashed while on approach to Ikeja International Airport. All 87 passengers and crew on board were killed.

• Early in 1981,^[17] Douglas C-47B 5N-ARA of Arax Airlines was damaged beyond repair in an accident and was subsequently reduced to spares.^[18]

• On 28 November 2003, Lagos control cleared Hydro Air 501, a Boeing 747-200 from Brussels Airport for a landing at Runway 19R. The aircraft ended up hitting a stack of asphalt, then slewed left with its first engine in contact with the surface until the nose wheel came to rest in a drainage ditch. The Ministry of Aviation report concluded that the cause of the accident was that the aircraft was cleared to land on a runway that was supposed to have been closed.
• On 22 October 2005, Bellview Airlines Flight 210, bound for Abuja, crashed after takeoff, killing everyone on board.^[19]

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

References

• Gradidge, Jennifer (2006). The DC-3 The First Seventy Years. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-332-3. 
• Sykes, Terry (1973). The DH.104 Dove and DH.114 Heron. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN none. 

External links

• Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos
• Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (Domestic Terminal)
• Current weather for DNMM at NOAA/NWS
• Accident history for LOS at Aviation Safety Network