Domestic flights resumes fully across Nigerian airports

• Arik flies to Yola, Kano airports Tuesday

Charles Abuede

Several of Nigeria’s domestic airlines have announced resumption of flight operations following the granting of approval by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), for the commencement of domestic flights across the country.

The approval also contains the reopening of the Benin and Jos airports in Nigeria.

Musa Nuhu, director-general of the NCAA, in a letter to FAAN ordered the reopening of the airports after both parties have satisfactorily met the prerequisites on post-COVID-19 Restart Guidelines and Health Protocols.

“An All Operators Letter of May 18 with ref: NCAA/DG/GC/8/16/302 and Advisory Circulars NCAA-AC-ARD 007-1 and NCAA-AC-AMS-002, as amended, were issued giving comprehensive guidelines and details of the requirements covering all functions and areas for compliance by all aerodrome operators for authorisation by NCAA for the resumption of airport operations.

“Therefore, having satisfactorily fulfilled most of the requirements of the All Operators Letter of May 18 with ref: NCAADG/GC/8/16/302 and Advisory Circulars: NCAA-AC-ADR-007 and NCAA-AC-AMS-002 as amended based on Post-COVID-19 Restart Guidelines and Health Protocols, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is hereby authorised to resume normal operations at Benin Airport, Benin. The attached list of deficiencies shall be resolved with a detailed report submitted to NCAA on July 20,” Nuhu stated, in the letter.

In a related development, Arik Air has announced its recommencement of flight operations to Yola Airport and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano effective Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The company revealed that both flight services will start off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with connections to and from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

Roy Ilegbodu, the chief executive officer of Arik Air, said: “We are delighted to recommence services to Kano and Yola following the approval for the reopening of the airports by the NCAA. We shall continue to review our operations as more airports are given official permission to reopen to ensure we serve our customers efficiently.”

The airline stressed that passengers are assured of their safety and well-being at every stage of their flight, as the airline has put in place various measures in accordance with COVID-19 health protocols as recommended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.