FG announces resumption of international flights
The Federal Government has announced the resumption of International Flight operations from August 29, 2020. This was disclosed through a tweet post by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on his official twitter handle on Monday, August.
The Minister said that the flight operations will start with the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja airports as was done with domestic flight resumptions. He said that protocols and procedures will be announced in due course.
Hadi Sirika, in his tweet post, stated, ‘’Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August 2020. Beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption. Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience.’’
He made the announcement during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday August 17, 2020, in Abuja.
Sirika said, “However, what we have become used to, physical distancing, wearing of masks, washing of hands, temperature taking, etc will continue.”
The minister explained that the process for the resumption of international flights in the country would be similar to that of the domestic flight resumption.
According to the minister, the resumption will commence on Saturday next week at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He thanked Nigerians for their patience while the ban on international flights was enforced and gave an assurance that the protocols and procedures for resumption would be announced in due course.
Sirika added, “Just like we did with the domestic (flights resumption), it will start with Lagos and Abuja. The protocols, procedures, and processes, will be announced in due course.
He also disclosed during the briefing that 4 flights would start landing daily in Lagos, and another 4 in Abuja, with strict protocols. He, however, did not say where they would be coming from.
It can be recalled that the Federal Government had closed the Nigerian airspace to both domestic and international flight operations except for essential services as part of the measure to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.
However, domestic flight operations resumed on July 8, with Lagos and Abuja airports and subsequently other airports. Sirika said there had been no confirmed virus transmissions on flights.
