The federal government has withdrawn the approval earlier given to Emirates Airlines to operate into Nigeria.
The government had, earlier in September, included Emirates in the list of approved airlines for international flights for both Abuja and Lagos airports after lifting the ban on international flights.
But the minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika said yesterday that said the decision to reverse the approval was taken after a meeting of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 with European Union ambassadors on Friday.
He also stated that there were discussions on the ban on Lufthansa and Air France-KLM.
“The PTF sub committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France/KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines’s situation was reviewed & they are consequently included in the list of those not approved, with effect from Monday the 21st Sept. 2020,” the minister wrote.
It would be recalled that prior to the resumption of international flights in the country, the federal government had announced that Air France, KLM, Etihad, RwandAir, Air Namibia, Royal Air Maroc, Lufthansa, TAAG Angola Airlines were not granted approval to commence flight operations.
Cabo Verde and South African airlines were also denied approval as international flights had yet to resume in their countries.
Middle East Airline, British Airways, Delta, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Air Peace, Virgin Atlantic, Asky Airlines, Africa World Airways, Air Cote d’ Ivoire, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines were granted approval to resume operations in Nigeria.
EgyptAir, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, Africa World Airways, Kenya Airways, and Middle East Airlines were announced as the airlines permitted to use Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, while British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa World Airways, and Middle East Airlines were granted approval to use Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
