Why KLM, Air France Others are Barred from Nigeria’s Airspace as Int’l Flight Resumes

As Nigeria prepares to open its airspace for commercial international flights on Saturday, September 5, 2020, 10 airlines will not be allowed to operate in the country, government authorities said on Thursday.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, RwandAir, Air Namibia, Royal Air Maroc, Cabo Verde, TAAG Angola and South African Airways, are barred from operating in Nigeria for now.

Speaking at a press briefing organized by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF) in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, Sirika explained that Air France and KLM airlines will not be allowed to operate because “tourist visa’s holders are not allowed entry”.

According to him, South African Airways was not approved to operate Nigeria because the SA government has not opened its international airspace for travels yet.

Sirika, however, listed the airlines approved for international flights in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, as; British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Africa World Airlines (AWA) Ghana, Middle East, and Kenya Airways.

As for Abuja, British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian, AWA Ghana, Middle East, Turkish and Egypt Air, were approved to operate.

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Sirika added that Asky and Air Peace have also been cleared to resume international flights.

The minister said, “I think we have done very well so far so they won’t have any reason to disallow Nigerians to travel.

“What we have done is to review the issues, what have they done to us. In the case of Britain, they said when you come, we quarantine you and we also said when you come, we will also quarantine you.”

He also clarified that all passengers have to register online via the Nigeria International Portal, and they are expected to pay a fee for the Covid-19 PCR test, the result of which they must upload 72 hours before boarding.

Sirika warned all airlines to ensure that all their passengers have a copy of their negative Covid-19 test result as erring airline will pay a fine of $3500 per passenger.