FG URGES IATA TO REPLACE OSUBI AIRPORT’S ‘WARRI’ CODE

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By; Sunmola Ganiyat

The Federal Government has asked the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to review the three-letter code of Osubi Airport in Delta State, saying the current designation does not accurately reflect the airport’s official name and location.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made the request in a letter to IATA’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, Osubi Airport is officially identified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s four-letter code, DNSU, and is located in Osubi town, near Warri.

However, the airport has traditionally been identified as “Warri Airport” because of its proximity to and service of the Warri metropolitan area. Its current IATA code, QRW, is also associated with the Warri identity.

Keyamo said the continued use of QRW does not adequately reflect the airport’s actual name and physical location, stressing the importance of accurate airport identification within the aviation industry.

He noted that IATA codes are widely used on flight tickets, baggage tags, boarding passes, reservation systems and other travel platforms, making proper identification important for passengers and aviation stakeholders.

The minister therefore requested that IATA begin the process of reviewing QRW and consider assigning a new code that more clearly reflects Osubi Airport.

The Federal Government suggested OSU, OSB, SUB and QSB as possible alternatives, although the final decision will be subject to IATA’s established procedures and the availability of the proposed codes.

Keyamo said changing the designation would strengthen the airport’s identity and reduce possible confusion among passengers and other stakeholders.

He also directed airlines operating to and from the airport to properly identify the facility as Osubi, Delta State, on passenger tickets, baggage tags, boarding passes and other relevant documents.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and other relevant aviation agencies have equally been directed to ensure that the correct designation is consistently reflected across their systems, records and publications.

Keyamo emphasised the distinction between the two locations, stating that “Osubi is not Warri and Warri is not Osubi.”