The Federal Government has stated that domestic flights would resume on the 8th of July 2020 more than three months after the airspace was shut down to commercial flights as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika disclosed that operations would start with the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Sirika revealed this in a tweet on his handle @hadisirika, adding that operations would resume at Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri Imo State and Maiduguri Airport on 11th July.
Other airports would follow suit on 15th while international flights would be announced at a later date.
Daily Trust reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday approved the reopening of the airports and other measures in the third phase of the ease of lockdown announced by the Chairman of Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha.
With the President giving green light on the reopening of airspace, many people had been anxious about when flights would finally resume even as some of the airlines have also expressed readiness to resume flights.
But Sirika cleared the air in his tweet posted at 8:40 pm, which immediately generated reactions, garnering thousands of retweets and likes in few minutes.
Sirika said: “I am glad to announce that Abuja and Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020. Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri & Maiduguri to resume on the 11th. Other airports on the 15th. Date for international to be announced in due course. Bear with us, please.”