Lufthansa: Why We Off-loaded Passengers, Luggage on Abuja-Frankfurt Flight

Chinedu Eze

German mega carrier Lufthansa Airlines has explained why it off-loaded passengers and all checked-in luggage from its flight originating from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Frankfurt last Wednesday, July 23, 2025, when part of the airport runway was closed for maintenance.

In a letter the airline wrote to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), it disclosed that it knew that part of the airport was under repair because it had earlier received notice to airmen (NOTAM) to that effect, but it had to offload 45 out of the 200 passengers on the flight and all the checked-in luggage to lighten the aircraft for safety reasons because of rainfall and tailwind.

“We knew about the NOTAM but we made a decision to reduce our load for safety reasons because of the rain and tailwind,” the airline told FAAN.

This confirmed FAAN’s insistence that it issued NOTAM to all airlines operating at the airport and all the international flights operated from the airport as designated, but the runway maintenance was completed on July 24, the following day and the full length of the runway has been at the disposal of airlines.

FAAN also disclosed that on the same July 23, British Airways operated Boeing B777 at 0816hrs with 245 passengers   and 23crew; Qatar Airways operated Boeing B787 at 1403hrs with 251 passengers and 12 crew; Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing B777 LR aircraft at 1411 hrs, 264 passengers and 14 crew.

Also, Egypt Air operated Boeing B737-800 at 1509hrs with 125 passengers and 7 crew; Africa World Airlines operated Embraer E145 at 1305hrswith 40 passengers and 4 crew; Asky Airlines operated B737 at 1719hrs with 64 passengers and 9 crew.

In addition, Turkish Airlines operated Airbus A330 at 2145hrs with 261 passengers and 10 crew; Air Cote D’ivoire operated Airbus A319 at 1047hrs with 84 passengers and 7 crew; Royal Air Maroc operated Boeing B737 – 0718hrs with 162 passengers and 6 crew and Air France operated Airbus A330 at 2152hrs with 215 passengers and 10 crew.

The passengers and luggage left behind on July 23, 2025 were later taken to Frankfurt four days later on July 27, 2025.