The Federal government on Thursday postponed the planned resumption of international flights initially suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government announced Saturday, September 5, 2020 as the date for full resumption of international flights in and out of Nigeria.
The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu, made the disclosure during Thursday’s briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Nuhu was representing the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
He explained that the forms for COVID-19 test; as well as all other preparations to forestall its spread had to be fully put in place.
He revealed that the government is pushing ahead with the implementation of the principle of reciprocity. The principle is basically against nationals of some countries that were imposing stringent travel conditions on Nigerian citizens on the basis of COVID-19 cases in the country.
He said a comprehensive list of the affected countries would be released to the public alongside the COVID-19 protocols.
Meanwhile, the principle of reciprocity means all countries that have banned flights from Nigeria; will also have planes from their countries banned from flying into Nigeria. Some of the countries which have already banned flights from Nigeria are in the European Union (EU); as the EU included Nigeria on the banned countries on the first of July when they opened their airspace.
Also, the Ministry of Aviation stated that about 1,280 passengers would be allowed in on a daily basis; in Abuja and Lagos airports, which are scheduled to resume the flights.
The development was also reported on the official handle of the Ministry of Aviation on the micro-blogging site, Twitter.
‘‘Breaking: Regret to announce that the international flight resumption earlier scheduled to resume on 29th August has been shifted to 5th September 2020,” the tweet read.
The development has dashed the hopes of many Nigerians who were looking forward to the resumption of international flights on Saturday, August 29, 2020; but will have to wait for an extra week.