Following the planned resumption of flights from June 21, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved the reopening of only five airports for a start.
The Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, revealed this in a letter to Accountable Managers of all domestic and foreign airlines in the country.
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The letter, which was sighted by our reporter on Wednesday, was dated 1st June 2020 with ref NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/121.
It listed the five airports to be opened as; Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa Rivers State; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri.
The DG added in the letter that “other airports will be added gradually after a review and assessment.”
He stated that all flights to any of the airports outside the five approved to open shall comply with the existing COVID-19 protocols for approvals.
He disclosed further that the closure of Nigerian airports to international flights will continue until a date of resumption is announced.
The letter stressed that emergency and essential flights are exempted from the restriction and shall comply with the existing COVID-19 protocols for approvals.
Daily Trust reports that Nigerian airports have been shut since March 27 as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
