COVID-19: NCAA directs airline operators to restrict international flights to Lagos, Abuja

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority - NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu has instructed airline operators to restrict all international flights to the Lagos and Abuja airports alone.

This is coming after the Federal Government place a ban on flights from 13 countries that have more than 1,000 coronavirus cases including the US and UK.

According to Nuhu's letter to airline operators, dated March 19, only the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja will take international flights.'

Nuhu said the directive would take effect from 12am on Saturday, March 21.

According to him, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, would be closed to all international flights.

The DG also stated that all persons arriving in Nigeria who might have visited the countries affected by the travel ban 15 days prior to arrival, would be subjected to supervised self-quarantine and testing for 14 days.

He said, “The travel restriction is applicable to all flight crew from the affected countries.

“All operators wishing to operate into Nigeria are required to operate with two sets of flight crew; one set to operate into Nigeria and one set to operate out of Nigeria.”

Further reports revealed that there would be further directives to airlines in the coming days.

Punch