Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika has announced that international flights will resume operation on August 29 five months after operations were halted over the Coronavirus pandemic.
The minister who made this known on Monday in Abuja during the briefing by members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 stated that flight operation would begin in and out of two airports – Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
Sirika also noted that procedures to be observed by passengers would be announced in due course.
Following this development, the Federal Government said evacuation flights, which were introduced in the wake of the ban on international flights occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, will end on August 25.
He said: “What we have become used to – physical distancing, wearing of a mask, washing of hands and temperature checks – will continue. In the beginning, there will be four flights into Abuja and Lagos daily; we will give further details on that. This is a decision that was taken by the PTF and not that by the Aviation Ministry alone.”
On what is required of passengers, Sirika said: “Very close to your departure dates, you will take a COVID test where you are coming from and then, of course, you would go online to fill the health questionnaire so that you don’t bother yourself filling long forms while you arrive on in the aircraft.
“There will also be a portal that we will open. Prior to your departure, you will pay through that platform for the test to be done here in Nigeria after your arrival. Meaning that, just before you depart, you take a test and when you are negative and not showing any signs of COVID-19, we will board you on the flight.
