FG reviews arrival time at airport to an hour and half

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has reviewed the arrival time for domestic air travel from three hours to one and a half hours.

Sirika said in his verified twitter handle that, “My colleagues & I have reviewed passenger facilitation at our airports, consequently I am happy to announce that, henceforth travelers are to arrive one hour and a half before their departure time for domestic flights.

“Travelers are advised to check in online, please.”

Passengers were earlier asked to arrive the airports three hours because of the observance of the safety protocols at the airports they have to follow before boarding their flights.

The FAAN had in June preparatory to resumption of domestic flights had advised passengers to arrive the airport three hours before departure.

Passenger protection from possible exposure to COVID-19 is contained in the checklist given to airlines by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which regulates air transport in Nigeria.

As part of modalities for flight resumption, passengers expect the airlines to adopt either all of the following measures: Limiting movement within the cabin during flights, temperature screening of passengers, more frequent and deeper cabin cleaning, boarding and deplaning processes, wearing of face masks onboard, among others.

Speaking recently at a webinar organised by Women in Aviation (WIA) Nigeria, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu said passengers should expect delays and long hours of checks and re-checks right from when they arrive the airport and departs as the agency has put arrangements in place regarding passenger facilitation and what to expect.

At all airports, she said social distancing would be 100%, temperature screening, wearing of face masks, disinfection of shoes and luggage of passengers would also be carried out 100% regardless of personalities.

“We are going to expect flight delays; flights will experience delays because of checks and re-checks. If you are travelling, I will expect a potential traveler to leave home hours before his flight, why do I say this? Because there is going to be a lot of checks in the front of the terminal we have been told that some may activities and procedures will take place in front of the terminal. So air travelers are expected to leave home very early so that they can get to the airport on time,” Yakubu said.

Wole Shadare