Kayode Oyero
As international flights resume on September 5, the Federal Government says only approved airlines will be allowed into the country’s airspace.
Speaking on Thursday during a briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said only the NAIA and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, would reopen for international travels.
He listed EgyptAir, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, AWA, Kenya Airways and Middle East Airlines as airlines permitted to operate into the Lagos airport.
The minister also listed British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, AWA, and Middle East Airlines as airlines allowed to operate into the Abuja airport.
However, Sirika said Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Namibia, RwandAir and Royal Air Maroc are not approved to operate flights into the country.
The country’s airspace and airports had been shut to flight operations in March to curb the spread of the lethal coronavirus disease which as of Thursday has killed over 1,000 people in Nigeria.
The FG subsequently approved the restart of domestic flights from July 8, adding that effective September 5, international flights would resume with the two airports.
Giving an update on Thursday, the minister said there would be sanctions for non-compliance with the guidelines on the part of the approved airlines and the passengers.
He said passengers who fail to comply with the Covid-19 protocol put in place to curb the importation of the virus would be suspended from travelling for six months while airlines that fail to comply would pay a fine of $3,500 per passenger.
Credit: PUNCH
