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Late schedule approval may scuttle foreign airlines’ Sept 5 resumption
Many international airlines may not operate their flights into the country from September 5th 2020 as they await approval of their schedule from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
The carriers are apprehensive as late approval may hinder their schedule and rubbish their initial plans to begin services to the country.
A top official of a mega carrier from United Kingdom who pleaded anonymity told Woleshadarenews that all the airlines are waiting for their schedules to be approved.
According to the source, “We are definitely not flying from that Sept 5 because everybody is waiting for the schedule. You know the government has not approved anybody’s schedule. That is what we are waiting for. We have submitted our schedule and until it is approved, we can’t say this is when we can fly.”
“You know that this thing is tied to 1280 number of passengers for Abuja and Lagos airports and to know how many people we can take and you know there are only four airlines that are allowed to come in for now per day. Even though you have proposal with them, it is only when they approve that you can come in”, she stated.
“We are on standby. Everybody is on standby. International airlines are in bathed breath waiting for the approval of their schedule from the Federal Government.”
“If they say start on Sept 5th, we will start. We are just waiting for government’s approval of the schedule.
There are indications that the Federal Government on that and announcement could come today on the number of airlines that should start operations from Sept. 5.
“That is what we are waiting for. It will come out today or tomorrow latest. Once they approve, we will move and adjust to whatever it is that they have given us.”
The Nigerian market, the second biggest on the continent after South Africa, is one of the most attractive for about 30 foreign carriers that flew the route pre-COVID-19.
Besides, the geographical advantage of reaching most parts of the globe in about six hours, Nigeria has several airports for multiple destinations.
The potential market is huge, out of which about eight per cent of its 200 million population currently travel.
The pressure for Nigeria to reopen its airspace after over five month hiatus occasioned by COVID-19 had been huge.
Despite the evacuation/humanitarian flights approved by the Federal Government to give stranded Nigerians and other nationals a window of opportunity to be with their families and loved ones did not assuage the pain many people encountered.
Virtually all foreign airlines have not met the condition but there is hope that they would do so before or after the planned Sept 5 resumption.
Virgin Atlantic recently said it would be welcoming customers back onboard as it makes a return back to Lagos on September 10, 2020.
A statement from the carrier said to ensure the health and safety of customers and crew, Virgin Atlantic was implementing additional measures to offer peace of mind at airports and when taking to the skies.
These include enhanced and thorough cleaning practices at check in, boarding gates and onboard including the use of electrostatic spraying of high-grade disinfectant in all cabins and lavatories before every flight, ensuring no surface is left untouched. Safe distancing will also be adhered to wherever possible, and mask wearing will be required throughout the journey.
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