The Federal Government has begun moves to give Osubi Airport in Delta State a distinct international identity by seeking a review of its existing three-letter IATA code, QRW.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made the request in a letter to the International Air Transport Association’s Area Manager for West and Central Africa, Samuel Fatokun.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, the move is intended to ensure that the airport’s international code better corresponds with its official name and geographical location.
Osubi Airport is officially identified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation with the four-letter location indicator DNSU and is located in Osubi town, near Warri in Delta State.
However, the airport has for years been popularly known as “Warri Airport” because of its proximity to and service of the Warri metropolitan area.
Keyamo said the continued use of QRW, which is linked to the Warri identity, “does not adequately reflect the airport’s actual name and physical location.”
He stressed the importance of accurate airport identification, noting that three-letter IATA codes are widely used across the aviation system, including on flight tickets, baggage tags, boarding passes, reservation platforms and international travel systems.
The Minister said the government therefore wants IATA to commence a formal review of QRW and consider assigning a replacement code that more clearly identifies Osubi Airport.
READ ALSO: African Airlines Lead in Accident Rate Despite Zero Fatalities – IATA
The Federal Government proposed OSU, OSB, SUB and QSB as possible alternatives, while acknowledging that the final choice would depend on IATA’s coding requirements and the availability of the proposed codes.
Keyamo said changing the code would help “strengthen the airport’s identity while reducing potential ambiguity for passengers and other stakeholders”.
Airlines, Agencies Get Fresh Directive
Beyond the request to IATA, the Minister has directed airlines serving the airport to ensure that all passenger-facing materials correctly identify the facility as Osubi, Delta State.
The directive covers flight tickets, baggage tags, boarding passes and other relevant travel documents.
Keyamo also instructed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and other relevant aviation bodies to adopt the correct designation across their databases, official records, publications and operational systems.
Emphasising the distinction the government wants established, the Minister stated that, “Osubi is not Warri and Warri is not Osubi.”