Many times passengers on inbound flights to Lagos, Abuja and major cities that sometimes play host to Mr President are told by the pilots that in another five minutes the plane will begin descent to the city to land, only to be informed minutes later that they have to hover round the airports and stay longer in the sky as there is “presidential passenger or movement”.

Presidential passage or movement, is a situation where the airspace is shut to commercial and other aircraft when presidents, vice presidents and their families are flying in or out of an airport. Government officials often cite security reasons as the underlining rationale behind the action.

Passengers most times rain curses on the airline involved and resort to prayers for them to land safely.

Presidential movement

They do not ask what is this presidential movement that endangers their lives; what is the economic cost of hovering round the airport for more than Thirty minutes when the plane was supposed to have landed in Five minutes; and is this how presidential movement in other countries disrupts flight operations?

Read More: allafrica