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.
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.
Nigerian airports have been shut since March 27 as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
