International Flights to Resume Operations on 29 of August

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation on Monday announced that the nation’s airspace would be opened to international flights on August 29.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced the resumption on Twitter and also during Monday’s briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

In the tweet, Sirika said, “I am pleased to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August, 2020.

“It will begin with Lagos and Abuja airports as we did with the domestic flight resumption. Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience.”

According to the minister, the international flights would commence in two airports, the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

He explained that emphasis would be placed on safety and technical guidelines to ensure the safety of both the passengers and staff of airlines.

Sirika added that air passengers must take the COVID-19 test from their departing nations, saying it must be close to their departure dates.

He said, “A portal will also be opened for passengers to pay for another COVID-19 test to be done eight days after arrival in Nigeria.

“They will also fill in health questionnaires online and hand them in at the point of entry, instead of filling the forms on the aircraft or on arrival.”

The Federal Government shut Nigeria’s airspace to both local and international flights in March to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. However, with the world gradually adjusting to living with the deadly virus, the Federal Government has finally decided to open up the nation’s airspace to international flights, especially after local airlines threatened massive lay-offs without palliatives or operations.