The Senate has raised concerns over prolonged delays to commercial flights caused by the movement of Very Important Persons, warning that restrictions imposed to accommodate VIP flights could pose serious risks to aviation safety.

The issue was raised during Tuesday’s plenary after Senator Isah Jibril moved a motion on disruptions to commercial flight operations linked to VIP movements.

Senators said commercial aircraft were sometimes kept airborne for extended periods while waiting for presidential or other VIP flights to take off, a situation they described as a potential threat to passengers and crew.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while contributing to the debate, recalled a similar experience from his time as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio said he once spent almost three hours inside an airport shuttle bus with other passengers while waiting for a presidential aircraft to depart.

He questioned the coordination of security arrangements around presidential movements, particularly situations where airport operations were restricted well ahead of the scheduled departure of the President’s flight.

Another senator, Abdul Ningi, said he had also experienced the impact of VIP-related restrictions on commercial aviation.

Ningi recalled that a flight expected to take about 45 minutes from Kano remained airborne for approximately two and a half hours due to restrictions associated with VIP movements.

Akpabio warned that prolonged delays in the air could create greater risks as the harmattan season approaches, particularly because of fuel limitations and potentially unfavourable weather conditions.

The Senate subsequently mandated its Committee on Aviation to hold an urgent meeting with relevant aviation and security authorities to address the issue.

Lawmakers also called for clear guidelines on the categories of public officials whose movements warrant restrictions on airport operations or airspace, stressing that VIP arrangements should not compromise the safety and efficiency of commercial air travel.