‘We never evacuated Nigerians from Canada’ - Ethiopian Airlines

Chinazor Megbolu

The Ethiopian Airlines has claimed they never evacuated Nigerians from Canada as speculated in the news recently.

In a statement issued by the General Manager, Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Ms. Firihewot Mekonnen, the airline hinted that the claim the organisation has been contracted to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Canada as a result of Covid-19 virus pandemic wasn’t true.

The statement also disclosed the airline had been operating direct flights from Its base in Addis Ababa to Toronto, Canada for years adding it would not hesitate to do so even in this Covid-19 period.

Mekonnen, maintained that the Nigerian Government was yet to contact it for the evacuation of the Nigerians stranded in Canada.

She also noted that it was the responsibility of the Nigerian Government and its agencies to contract the evacuation of its citizens to it.

Meanwhile, the corporation further confirmed the evacuation of 187 Canadians from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on May 21, 2020 with its Boeing 787 aircraft.

Mekonnen also buttressed that more Canadians would be evacuated from Nigeria as arrangements were ongoing.

”Ethiopian Airlines as an airline is ready to operate any flight as an evacuation when requested by the respective government and agencies.

“As at now the Airline has already operated such flights and is having an ongoing discussion to evacuate Canadians and Canada resident permit holders from Nigeria.

“Ethiopian Airlines is not yet contracted to evacuate Nigerians from Canada. That is the responsibility of the Nigerian Government and its agencies to choose partners for such evacuation,” she said.