Chairman of B-Courtney Aviation Services Limited(BASL),  operator  and owner of  a first privately  airport terminal in Nigeria,Dr.Wale Bablakin has said the edifice which was commissioned in 2007  is selling Nigeria in a positive light to the global aviation communities.

Addressing aviation journalists inside the Regional Departure Hall of the terminal  in Lagos,Babalakin said that  the Terminal is a surprise to so many people because no one over thought that BASL will be able to construct this type of  airport terminal which has contributed immensely to the growth OF aviation  in Nigeria.

According to him,the initial design of the Terminal as conceived  by the Authorities  fell short of the standard befitting the statue of Nigeria.The Plan had to be redesign to our specifications with additional features that made the MMA-2 stands out among several airport terminals.

He said that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) wanted his company to build  a shed not terminal.”I invited experts  from different countries and companies to give us appropriate design.”The result is what everybody is admiring today.”

On Regional Operations,”We have done our preparation for our regional operations.It is unfair to the airlines and local passengers who want  to travel to the sub-regions to go all the way to the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport before catching their flights .The airlines have indicated their readiness to  make use of MMA-2 for their regional operations.”

He said it would save the airline money and fuel as they(airlines) will not have to taxi their aircraft from the local wing to the international terminal of the Lagos Airport,a distance of over two kilometers burning fuel for nothing.

 “The airlines are bleeding moving from one traffic to the other.”.Babalakin gave the assurance that all the facilities  in the Terminal are functioning optimally in that they are constantly being maintained.

 Speaking on the bidding going  in other parts of the country for the construction of new terminals,he noted”In some countries,those who have success rate are usually called upon to indicate whether  they are interested in taking up the constructions of the proposed new airports terminal or not before throwing  it open to the public.”

“BASL is infested  in infrastructure development. We are interested in the clean process that will lead to  development of new terminal.”

He disclosed that four African countries have approached Bi-Courtney to build new terminal for them. According to him,BASL needs the backing of  the Federal Government that will recommend it to the foreign counties.

The bane of development,he said is the regulator that is now competing with those that are being regulated. Citing the case of the General Aviation Terminal(GAT)  which is owned by BASL according to the terms of the agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

Despite several  court cases on it(GAT) won by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited,FAAN is yet to hand it over to BASL.

He viewed this development   as  bad signal to the international investors who may want to  set up businesses in Nigeria”.Foreign investors are attracted  to states where there is strict adherence to the rule of law irrespective of who is involve.”

He told newsmen that the apron of the grave yard of the General Aviation Terminal where unserviceable aircraft were being kept was constructed by Bi-Courtney.He said Bi-Courtney will not give out an inch of GAT except on settlement favorable to BASL.