The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has downgraded the Port Harcourt International Airport from grade eight to seven.

According to industry insiders who spoke with LEADERSHIP, the consequence of such downgrade meant that by implication, only aircraft of smaller dimension can land and take off from the airport until the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) conforms with the condition specified by the NCAA.

NCAA also handed down a 21-day ultimatum to FAAN to upgrade fire facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport , Abuja, to avoid its downgrade.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the latest move of NCAA was predicated on the ground that the FAAN has only two fire tenders at the international airport. While one of the vehicles is unserviceable, the other is leaking water, depicting that none of them could be deployed during emergencies.

Going by the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards, there should be a minimum of three fire tenders in international airports like Port Harcourt and the fire vehicles must be in good working conditions. And this criteries has not been met by the affected airports.

Following the down grading, LEADERSHIP gathered that the Rivers State government has come to the rescue of the FAAN by releasing the sum of N2 billion for the acquisition of two new fire tenders ,and also providing temporarily two fire tenders to the airport.

A senior FAAN official confirmed the receipt of two additional fire tenders from the state government with each containing 45,000 litres of water

A source at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, also told LEADERSHIP that the FAAN was making efforts to repair a fire tender at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.