Meals now banned during domestic flights

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed all domestic airlines to serve only pre-packaged catering products (meals, snacks) in sealed containers to their passengers during disembarkation.

NCAA also warned that these pre-packaged meals must not be consumed onboard and that non-compliance of the directive shall attract appropriate sanctions.

In a letter titled “Public Health Guidelines for Companies Providing In-Flight Catering Services to Airlines Operating Domestic Flights,” addressed to airline operators and catering service providers, NCAA stated that, “Domestic airlines shall serve pre-packed catering products (Meals, snacks etc) in sealed containers to their passengers during disembarkation.”

According to NCAA, no catering products shall be served or consumed in-flight by airlines or passengers respectively on any domestic flight.

The letter signed by the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday, further stated that, “Only pre-packaged meals, (foods and snacks) can be served on the flight by catering companies who have carried out the appropriate risk assessment as approved by the NCAA.

“Catering Service providers have been identified by the Authority as one of the key service providers to airlines that are required to put in place COVID-19 risk management measures to assure the travelling public that catering products (meals, snacks etc) served on board flights are not a potential source of COVID-19 infection.

“With the resumption of domestic flight operations in the country in-flight catering companies were required by the Authority to carry out regular risk assessments of their operations and put in place remedial actions to address any identified hazard to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 virus to their customers through their products.”

Serving and eating of meals onboard the flight were suspended by the authorities in order to prevent the further spread of the virus through human contact and other means.