German airline Lufthansa was forced to offload 45 passengers and hundreds of bags from its Abuja–Frankfurt flight on Wednesday night due to safety concerns following runway damage at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The decision was prompted by the development of a large hole on one end of the airport’s 3,610-meter runway, resulting in a significant reduction in usable takeoff length. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) cordoned off the affected section, prompting immediate safety adjustments for departing aircraft.

Lufthansa’s Airbus A330-300, a wide-body aircraft requiring longer runway distance due to its size and weight, could not achieve safe acceleration on the shortened runway. To mitigate risk, the flight crew reduced the aircraft’s load by removing both passengers and checked baggage, allowing for safe takeoff.

According to Captain Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors and a veteran pilot, "When a runway is shortened or not long enough, an aircraft must reduce its weight to generate sufficient thrust and achieve lift-off."

One of the offloaded passengers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were moved to Abuja Continental Hotel around 4:00 a.m. and rebooked for a new flight scheduled for Sunday, July 27, 2025, four days later.

“There was confusion. Passengers were anxious. Although they tried to call us in groups, some people were skipped and later informed they wouldn’t fly,” the passenger said. “It disrupted many people’s schedules, especially those with work or appointments abroad.”

Sources also revealed that passengers who boarded were forced to travel without their checked-in luggage, which was left behind due to time constraints and logistical issues. The original flight, scheduled for 10:20 p.m., eventually took off hours later after multiple delays.

Investigations by Naija Blog reveal that Lufthansa’s pilot was unaware of the damaged runway section prior to the flight, raising questions about whether a proper Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued.

One airline staff member reportedly said the pilot almost cancelled the flight entirely due to weather conditions and the surprise hazard on the runway.

In response, FAAN has confirmed it shut down the runway from midnight Thursday to 4:00 a.m. Friday to carry out emergency repairs, describing the issue as a "runway depression." FAAN also issued a NOTAM alerting all operators at Abuja Airport to revise their flight operations in accordance with the reduced runway length.

Staff within the airport have expressed concern that the damaged portion of the runway had existed for some time and that previous reports to FAAN management had gone unattended.

Passengers expressed mixed feelings—frustration over disruptions but appreciation for Lufthansa's efforts to provide accommodation and manage logistics professionally.