Only 5 airports will resume operations on June 21

Abiodun OBA

Not all airports in Nigeria will resume flight operations on June 21 as announced by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, made the announcement in a letter to Accountable Managers of all domestic and foreign airlines in the country with ref NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/121, in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to the letter, the five airports are Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano.

Others are Omagwa International Airport, Port Harcourt and Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri.

Nuhu however quipped in the letter that other airports would be added gradually to flight operations after a review and assessment.

“Following the announcement by Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on the easing of and the start of the second phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, we wish to inform the industry of the following:

“The closure of Nigerian airports to domestic flights has been extended to 2300Z on 20th June 2020.

“The gradual start of domestic flight operations will commence on June 21 with Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano,

“Others are Omagwa International Airport, Port Harcourt, and Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri while other airports will be gradually added to the network after a review and assessment.”

The director-general further clarified that the closure of Nigerian airports to international flights would continue until the date of resumption is announced adding that emergency and essential flights were exempted from the restriction and should comply with the existing COVID-19 protocols for approvals.

Nuhu noted that all flights to any airport outside the five listed airports should comply with the existing COVID-19 Protocols for approvals.