Aftermath of ban: Air France, KLM to resume flights to Lagos, Abuja Dec 7

Air France and KLM have concluded plans to resume flights to Nigeria more than eight months after they suspended flights to Nigeria occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic and nearly three months after the Nigerian government barred the two mega carriers from the country following the activation of reciprocity policy.

The carriers in a statement on Monday made available to Woleshadarenews, said, “As from December 7, 2020, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will resume passenger flight operations to Abuja and Lagos”.

General Manager Air France KLM Nigeria & Ghana, Michel Colleau disclosed that passengers can now fly Air France and KLM from Nigeria (Abuja & Lagos) to Paris and Amsterdam with the possibility of transfer to other European and North Atlantic destinations”.

He stated that Air France and KLM were monitoring the changing health situation worldwide on a daily basis and are committed to providing its customers optimum health and hygiene conditions at every stage of their trip.

His words, “Flights to and from Lagos and Abuja will be operated in strict compliance with NCAA and international health protocols and will adhere to the highest standards of health and hygiene.

“We also wish to assure all our customers that we have taken precautionary measures to ensure that our operations are conducted safely, comfortably and responsibly. The safety of our passengers and crew will always be our top priority”.

The wearing of surgical masks, according to him is compulsory on board the aircraft and throughout the duration of the trip, adding that the air in the cabin is renewed every three minutes.

The air recycling system on board the aircraft, he noted is equipped with HEPA – High Efficiency Particulate Air – filters identical to those used in hospital operating theatres.

Air France and KLM have reinforced aircraft cleaning procedures, notably with the disinfection of all surfaces in contact with customers. A specific procedure for disinfecting aircraft by spraying an approved virucidal product has been introduced.

The Federal Government had last week lifted the ban on the major European carriers. It had on opening of Lagos and Abuja airports to international flights after over five months of closure occasioned by COVID-19 barred ten airlines, including Air France, KLM and Lufthansa from operating into Nigeria.

In justifying the reason for not permitting the Paris and Amsterdam based airlines and Lufthansa operate to Nigeria after re-opening of international airspace to foreign airlines, Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika said Air France and Lufthansa were not approved because Swiss visas owners were not allowed entry and the same reason for KLM.

“In making decisions as to who comes, in the wisdom of the PTF and the Ministry of Aviation, we understood that the government has done very well with a low rate of fatality. If you look at other countries, for example, they recorded a lot of fatalities”.

“We are over 200 million people and we are still talking about 1,000 deaths. I think we have done very well in fighting this disease (COVID-19).  I think we don’t have any reason whatsoever to disallow Nigerians from traveling.

“What we have done is to review the issues from other countries and what they have done to us. In the case of Britain, they said when we come, they will quarantine us and so, when they come to us too, we will quarantine them.

Wole Shadare