Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport
Encyclopedia
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport is located in Kano
, a city in the Kano State
of Nigeria
. It is the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was named after Nigerian politician Aminu Kano
. The airport consists of an international and a domestic terminal. Both terminals share the same runway. Construction started on a new domestic terminal, and was commissioned on May 23, 2011. In 2009, the airport handled 323,482 passengers.
an airline currently serving Kano, which they have done without interruption since 1947. This makes KLM the longest-serving foreign airline in Nigeria. Currently the bulk of international flights cater for the large Lebanese community in Kano and Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca
.
The main terminal with the control tower serves international flights and domestic services operated by Arik Air
and Nigerian Eagle Airlines. Facilities in the departure lounge are minimal, with a newsstand near the check-in counter, and a small bar at airside. There is a small VIP Lounge for business class passengers. Duty Free shops are currently closed. In the arrivals hall there is a small bar and a post office.
On the south side of the airport, along runway 06/24, is the domestic terminal currently serving operations of Bellview Airlines and IRS Airlines
. Facilities include a newsstand and small bar.
Construction of a new domestic terminal, adjacent to the main terminal building, started in the beginning of the 21st century. Construction was however abandoned, but was resumed. The operator of the airport, Federal Airports Authority Nigeria (FAAN), saw the completion of the new terminal in November 2009 and was commissioned on May 2011.
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
, a city in the Kano State
Kano State
Kano State is a state located in North-Western Nigeria. Created on May 27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region, Kano state borders Katsina State to the north-west, Jigawa State to the north-east, Bauchi State to the south-east and Kaduna State to the south-west...
of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It is the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was named after Nigerian politician Aminu Kano
Aminu Kano
Aminu Kano was a Muslim politician from Nigeria. In the 1940s he led an Islamic movement in the north of the country in opposition to British rule...
. The airport consists of an international and a domestic terminal. Both terminals share the same runway. Construction started on a new domestic terminal, and was commissioned on May 23, 2011. In 2009, the airport handled 323,482 passengers.
History
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport is the oldest in Nigeria, with operations starting in 1936. In the first decades of operation, the airport became an important fuel stop for airlines flying long-haul services between Europe and Africa. Newer aircraft however did not need such fuel stops any longer, and with the demise of the economy of Kano in the late 20th century, many international airlines stopped serving the airport. KLM is the only EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an airline currently serving Kano, which they have done without interruption since 1947. This makes KLM the longest-serving foreign airline in Nigeria. Currently the bulk of international flights cater for the large Lebanese community in Kano and Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
.
Facilities
The airport both serves civilian and military flights. Runway 06/24 is mainly used for civilian flights, while runway 05/23 primarily serves the Nigerian Air Force base at the south side of the airport. But runway 05/23 was in use for all operations, when the main runway was rehabilitated in the beginning of the 21st century. Between the two runways lie the terminal facilities.The main terminal with the control tower serves international flights and domestic services operated by Arik Air
Arik Air
Arik Air is a Nigerian airline operating a domestic, regional and international flight network. It is also the national carrier of Sierra Leone. It operates mainly from two hubs at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja...
and Nigerian Eagle Airlines. Facilities in the departure lounge are minimal, with a newsstand near the check-in counter, and a small bar at airside. There is a small VIP Lounge for business class passengers. Duty Free shops are currently closed. In the arrivals hall there is a small bar and a post office.
On the south side of the airport, along runway 06/24, is the domestic terminal currently serving operations of Bellview Airlines and IRS Airlines
IRS Airlines
IRS Airlines Limited is an airline based in Abuja, Nigeria. It operates scheduled domestic passenger services. Its main base is Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.-History:The airline was established in 2002 and started operations in March 2002...
. Facilities include a newsstand and small bar.
Construction of a new domestic terminal, adjacent to the main terminal building, started in the beginning of the 21st century. Construction was however abandoned, but was resumed. The operator of the airport, Federal Airports Authority Nigeria (FAAN), saw the completion of the new terminal in November 2009 and was commissioned on May 2011.
Statistics
| Year | Total Passengers | % Increase | Freight (tons) | Total Aircraft Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | ||||
| 2008 | 346,683 | |||
| 2009 | 323,482 | (9.8%) |
Airlines and destinations
Incidents
- On 22 January, 1973, a Boeing 707 crashed at Kano International while attempting to make a landing in high winds. 176 of the 202 passengers and crew on board were killed. It was and still remains the worst aviation disaster in the history of Nigeria.
- On 4 May, 2002, EAS Airlines Flight 4226EAS Airlines Flight 4226EAS Airlines Flight 4226 was a scheduled flight between the Nigerian cities of Kano and Lagos . At about 14:35 local time on 4 May 2002, Flight 4226 from Kano crash-landed in a residential area of the city called Gwammaja...
, a BAC 1-11-500 twin-engined jet crashed upon take-off from Mallam Aminu Kano International AirportMallam Aminu Kano International AirportMallam Aminu Kano International Airport is located in Kano, a city in the Kano State of Nigeria. It is the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was named after Nigerian politician Aminu Kano. The airport consists of an international and a domestic terminal. Both terminals share the same...
, killing 75 passengers and crew on board as well almost 70 more on the ground into whose houses the plane had crashed.