Ten Airlines Not Allowed To Resume Flight Operations In Nigeria

Ten airlines will not be allowed to operate alongside other operators as the Federal Government announces the resumption of international flights on September 5.

This development was disclosed by the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, on Thursday, during a briefing in Abuja.

The PTF said that the airlines that will not be allowed to operate are South African Airways, RwandAir, Royal Air Maroc, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Etihad Airways, Air Namibia, TAAG Angola, and Cabo Verde.

According to the minister, the airlines were not given the go-ahead to operate because “tourist visa holders are not allowed entry”.

He also stated that South African Airways will not resume flight operations because the South African Government has not opened its airspace for international flights.

Sirika said that the airline operators that will be allowed in Lagos are Kenya Airways, British Airways, Africa World Airlines (AWA), Qatar Airways, Emirates, Delta, and the Middle East.

READ ALSO: International Flights Resumption: Violate Protocols, Face Travel Ban - PTF

Airlines allowed to operate in Abuja are Ethiopian Airways, Turkish Air, Emirates, British Airways, Egypt Air, Middle East, and Africa World Airlines (AWA).

Sirika said, “I think we have done very well so far so they won’t have any reason to disallow Nigerians to travel.

“What we have done is to review the issues, what have they done to us. In the case of Britain, they said when you come, we quarantine you and we also said when you come, we will also quarantine you.” 

The minister also listed the steps that must be taken before passengers are allowed to board flights, including paying to register online using the Nigeria International Portal, paying for a coronavirus test, and uploading a coronavirus negative test result three days before they are to board.

Any passenger who fails to provide a COVID-19 negative test result will pay $3,500.