Keyamo Seeks New IATA Code For Osubi Airport

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has asked the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to replace the QRW code currently assigned to Osubi Airport in Delta State.

Keyamo made the request in a letter personally addressed to IATA’s Area Manager for West and Central Africa, Dr Samuel Fatokun, according to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Tunde Moshood.

The minister said the current code, QRW, does not adequately reflect the airport’s official name and geographical location, as Osubi Airport is located in Osubi town, near Warri.

The airport’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) location indicator is DNSU, while its IATA code, QRW, is widely associated with Warri. This has sometimes resulted in the facility being referred to as Warri Airport.

To address the issue, Keyamo proposed four alternative codes — OSU, OSB, SUB and QSB — for IATA’s consideration.

He noted, however, that the final code would be determined by IATA in line with its established coding procedures and the availability of suitable combinations.

The minister explained that aligning the airport’s IATA code with its official name and location would improve its identity and reduce possible confusion among passengers, airlines and other stakeholders.

According to him, the change would also promote consistency across aviation and travel systems, including ticketing, baggage handling, passenger information and other operational platforms.

Keyamo has consequently directed airlines operating flights to and from the airport to ensure that passenger-facing documents, including tickets, luggage tags and boarding passes, identify the facility as Osubi, Delta State.

He also directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and other relevant agencies to ensure that the airport’s proper designation is consistently reflected in their records, systems, publications and operational interfaces.

The minister stressed that the move was not aimed at diminishing Osubi Airport’s role in serving the Warri metropolitan area, but rather at ensuring geographical and operational accuracy.

“Osubi is not Warri and Warri is not Osubi,” Keyamo said.