The Minister of Transport was in Douala yesterday July 9, to evaluate ongoing work to lift the city’s international airport to standards befitting for an international air transportation hub for Central Africa and even beyond which Douala is being called up to be.

The airport was first put into use in 1977 and the wear-and-tear the facility has experienced since then is too evident for all to see, especially as the country has gone through several crises, thus reducing the possibilities of matching the airport to what it should reasonably have been nearly 30 years afterwards.

It was about time the government stepped in to ensure a much-desired turnaround because the structure was virtually gliding into the abyss.

The reception hall, supposed to be the veritable mirror for all passengers alighting in Douala, was an eyesore as technical equipment to handle baggage, the required personnel to receive guests on arrival or even the comfort of the hall left much to be desired.

Moreover, passengers trying to have a look of Douala as a plane landed were usually disappointed as many thought they were flying straight into a congested neighbourhood with its disorderly housing.

Government is injecting some FCFA 3.5 Billion into the rehabilitation projects.

That may not be a lot of money; but if well used, it could give the Douala international airport a veritable face lift.

Beginning with the disorderly nature of the facility which will see it have a secure fence of about 20 kilometres built around the entire airport area, thereby providing more security for the 56,284 square metre area of the airport by making it impossible for people illegally settled around the airport grounds to have any form of access.

Even under these difficult conditions, some 500 000 passengers use the Douala international airport yearly but this figure is far from its real potential, given the strategic location of Douala in commercial aviation terms. Travellers can be rest assured.

Authorities of the airports management company, ADC, proudly point to the fact that by the end of September 2014 the Douala international airport should have experienced a radical modernization of the baggage collection halls, the police control areas, carpeting of all areas used by passengers, the expansion and modernization of check in areas as well as the generalised introduction of air conditioning with the airport precincts so as to improve user comfort.

Out of the main physical plant, there are also major works being done to render runways modern so as to improve landing and take-off comfort. This is certainly very good news for Douala which is the principal port of entry into Cameroon for countless visitors.

But there are many others. As the Douala airport gets its facelift, government has also recently announced the uplifting of the Maroua airport to international status, making it the nation’s fourth international airport after Yaounde, Douala and Garoua.

While waiting for the new facility to go operational next year 2015, it is important to emphasise the fact that our country is becoming an important destination for regional air traffic, needing that the authorities get down to work immediately in view of ensuring that all the necessary technical, economic and financial benefits from such a vantage situation are enjoyed to the full.

Enter CAMAIR-CO, the new national carrier. These positive developments in air transport infrastructure are coming at very auspicious moments for this new company, in search of stamping itself as a national, regional and international airline.

It has to look for ways of being the most present when it comes to the use of these airports, lest they be left in the hands of foreign companies.

The setting is good for Camair-co which ought to integrate this new element in its business development strategy.