Africa-Press – Zambia. The closure of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) last Saturday for close to an hour, which led to the circling of two international airlines, Qatar and Emirates, was not due to poor air traffic management but because the airport was preparing for the landing of President Hakainde Hichilema, according to the Transport and Logistics Minister, Frank Tayali. The closure was in line with international aviation practice that all flights, regardless of their status, must be halted when the airport is processing the departure and landing of the President.
“It was such a scary moment to watch the two planes circling the airport for more than 25 minutes,” said one aviation expert who preferred to remain anonymous. “The passengers and crew of the aircraft were panicking, and it was a harrowing experience for them.”
Another aviation expert, who also preferred to remain anonymous, expressed disappointment with the management of Lusaka International Airport. “The management of Lusaka International Airport failed to manage the Presidential flight timelines, causing serious panic among passengers and the crew of the two aircraft,” he said.
However, Minister Tayali clarified that all Presidential flights were arranged by the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) aviation experts and that it was incorrect to blame KKIA staff or the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. “For the first time, two international aircraft, Qatar and Emirates, were made to circle the Lusaka International Airport for several long minutes because their crews were denied landing rights as scheduled,” he said. “The two aircraft were in the Lusaka airspace as scheduled but could not land because the aviation staff denied them access to land as they were preparing for the landing of President Hichilema who was coming from Mfuwe.”
According to Tayali, it was necessary to close the airport to ensure the safety of the President and all those at the airport. “What happened on Saturday is the international standard practice everywhere in the world,” he said. “President Hichilema was to land from Mfuwe, and no one expected the aviation staff to hold the head of state in the air to accommodate the landing of aircraft entering Zambia.”
He further explained that all airlines were aware of the international standard practice, and it was not an attempt to deny landing rights to other planes but only delayed because the airport was processing the landing of President Hichilema. “Imagine Air Force One is on the runaway and you have all other planes landing and taking off…you would be risking the life of the head of state. So there was nothing sinister or attempt to deny landing rights to other planes, but they were only delayed because the airport was processing the landing of President Hichilema,” he said.
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