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HomeNewsDomestic flights to resume July 8

Domestic flights to resume July 8

Abuja and Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020. Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri to resume on the 11th.

The Federal Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, has announced that domestic flights will resume Wednesday, July 8, after nearly four months travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sirika announced this on his official Twitter handle on Wednesday, July 1, saying that only domestic airports will be open for now, while the date for the resumption of international flights will be announced at a later date.

”I am glad to announce that Abuja and Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020. Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri to resume on the 11th. Other airports on the 15th. Date for international to be announced in due course. Bear with us, please,’ Sirika said in the statement.

Anxious passengers wanting to travel out of the country have been asked to wait as the government is not prepared to open the international gateways.

Sirika thanked stakeholders in the aviation industry and indeed the Nigerian public who have had to cope with the adverse effects of the flight suspension for their perseverance and cooperation in ensuring a successful return of operations at the nation’s airports.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had on Saturday, June 27, held dry run simulation exercises at domestic terminals of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, respectively, to assess the readiness of the airports for reopening post-COVID-19.

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The simulation exercise began in Abuja as passengers were taken through the post-COVID-19 departure protocols en route Lagos on a Boeing 737 Aerocontractors flight.

The team from Abuja led by Sirika arrived at the General Aviation Terminal, Lagos at about 1200 hours and passengers on board the flight were facilitated in line with the normal procedural order of arrival facilitation.

The minister expressed his delight at the level of facilities on the ground and added that going by the measures that have been put in place, the airports are about 90% ready to reopen.

According to him, domestic passengers will now have to get to the airports like three hours before departure, while international passengers would be expected to get to the airports about five hours before their flight. This is to ensure that all protocols, including safety markings, social distancing, hand sanitising, baggage decontamination, scanning of personal items are complied with.

He assured that the government will do all within its powers to ensure a rapid recovery of the aviation industry that has been badly battered by the pandemic.

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