Domestic flights to resume July 8

Domestic flight operations are to resume in Lagos and Abuja on July 8, the Federal Government announced on Wednesday.

Dates for the reopening of other airports were also announced.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika listed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as the airports where operations will resume on July 8.



He said the airports in Port Harcourt (Rivers State), Owerri (Imo State) and Maiduguri (Borno) will reopen for operations on July 11.

Other airports will join on July 15, Sirika explained.

International passengers will, however, have to wait as the dates for the restart of international flights into and out of the country have not been decided.
The airports have been closed for over three months due to the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

Sirika made this known last night in a tweet via his Twitter handle, @hadisirika.

The tweet reads: “I am glad to announce that Abuja & Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020.

“Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri & Maiduguri to resume on the 11th. Other airports on the 15th. Date for international to be announced in due course. Bear with us, please.”

In a statement in Abuja by the Director of Public Affairs of the ministry, James Odaudu, the minister urged passengers to follow safety protocols.

The statement reads: “Senator Sirika thanks 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.

“Passengers are highly advised to follow all the safety guidelines and protocols put in place to ensure that the airports don’t become channels of infection for the dreaded coronavirus.

“He assures that government will do all within its powers to ensure a rapid recovery of the aviation industry.”

Ahead of the flights resumption, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) conducted dry-run test in Abuja and Lagos airports.