Abuja — As the 2009 yuletide season approaches when most people in the Eastern part of the country will be travelling for end of the year celebrations, Airport Manager of Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, Orjiako Mgbemene has called for the development of the latter to meet impending challenges.

Mgbemene made this call just as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) plans to commence rehabilitation of the Enugu Airport in December.

In an interview with aviation reporters, the Owerri airport manager noted that the airport which was built to accommodate 400 passengers is currently playing host to almost double its capacity as a result of an upsurge recorded in the volume of passengers in recent times.

He noted that the recent development was as a result of flight increases by airlines flying the route.

"They (the airlines) are improving on their schedule of landing. Like Arik has increased its landings from Lagos. When I came here initially, it wasn't like that. They were just maintaining skeletal service but they have improved now stabilised.

"On daily basis we are having a minimum of 700 departures and 700 arrivals. We can now translate this to a week, a month and so on," Mgbemene stressed.