As FG lifts ban on Lufthansa, Air France, KLM

By Dirisu Yakubu – Abuja

All international airports in the country may resume international flight operations before the end of the year, Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has said.

The Minister stated this on his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday.

According to him, the federal government through the Ministry of Aviation is working with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, and other relevant bodies to ensure that the airports meet all safety and health requirements and protocols.

“We are working with the Ministry of Health, CACOVID, and the Presidential Taskforce to open Kano, Port Harcourt, and possibly Enugu airports before the end of the year. Also, Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM have been given the go-ahead to resume. Qatar Airways is approved to start Abuja. Thank you for your patience,” the tweet read.

It would be recalled that in September this year, the federal government barred Air France, Lufthansa, Rwanda Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Etihad Airways, and TAAG Angola from landing or taking off from the nation’s airports.

This was a bold call from the Nigerian government to the treatment meted out to Nigerians with tourist visas that were denied entrance into the airlines’ home countries.

The international airports that are yet to be cleared to resume operations are the Port Harcourt airport, the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

According to Sirika, all hands are on deck to ensure that all logistic and policy necessities will be put in place to address difficulties encountered by international travellers, especially with festive seasons around the corner.

In granting the approvals, Senator Sirika emphasized the need for airlines operating in the country to employ international best practices in handling Nigerian passengers, as the government will not tolerate any form of maltreatment of its citizens by any airline.

-Vanguard