We’ve not been contracted to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Canada—Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines said on Monday that it has not been contracted to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Canada.

The airline disclosed this amidst controversy over the evacuation of Nigerians in the North American country following the refusal of the Canadian Authorities to grant Air Peace designated by the Federal Government the right to evacuate the stranded Nigerians.

There has been speculation that a special arrangement has been made with Ethiopian Airlines to carry out the evacuation after Air Peace, Nigeria’s biggest carrier was denied the right even when the affected passengers already paid to it.

But Ethiopian Airlines General Manager in Nigeria, Firihewot Mekonnen clarified on Monday that the airline has not been contracted to carry out the evacuation flight.

But the airline confirmed evacuating 187 Canadians stranded in Nigeria on Thursday last week (May 21) from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on B787 to Addis Ababa onward transfer to Canada.

The GM said Ethiopian Airlines has been operating regular fights between Addis Ababa and Toronto Canada for Years.

She disclosed in a statement that more Canadians would be evacuated as arrangements are Ongoing.

The GM said: “Ethiopian airlines as an airline is ready to operate any flight as an evacuation when requested by the respective government and agencies.

“As at now the Airline has already operated such flights and is having an on going discussion to evacuate Canadians and Canada resident permit holders from Nigeria.

“Ethiopian Airlines is not yet contracted to evacuate Nigerians from Canada.

“That is the responsibility of the Nigerian Government and its Agencies to choose partners for such evacuation.”

Daily Trust reports that there has been outrage and condemnation over the refusal of the Canadian authorities to allow Air Peace to carry out the evacuation flights despite the insistence of the Federal Government.

Following a letter written by the Nigeria High Commission in Canada confirming that the Canadian government has finally refused Air Peace the right to conduct the evacuation, the Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative (ART), an industry think-tank group expressed its displeasure at the botched arrangement.

“We reject in totality the nebulous safety concerns conveyed by the government of Canada,” ART said in a statement by Olumide Ohuanyo.

The group said it viewed “this action not only as an unfriendly act but an unwarranted discriminatory and anti- competition acts bordering on avoidable aeropolitics.”

The statement read: “The demand of our common humanity at these challenging times posed by the ravaging COVID- 19 requires the maximum cooperation of all.

“We therefore request our government, especially the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Aviation to stand firm against this discriminatory and unfriendly act. Air Peace remains Nigeria’s flagship duly authorised by Nigeria for the evacuation mission of her distressed citizens in Canada.

In the diplomatic spirit of respect and cooperation among nations, the ART requests that Nigeria should persuade Canada to review her position and bring succour to the stranded Nigerians in her domain.”