TheNewsGuru

Tag: flights

  • Air Peace begins scheduled flights into Anambra

    Air Peace begins scheduled flights into Anambra

    Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, begins scheduled flights into Anambra on Tuesday.

    Its spokesman, Mr Stanley Olisa, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday.

    Olisa stated that the commencement followed approval of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

    He added that the consistent route expansion by the airline was a reflection of its “no-city-left-behind’’ initiative.

    Olisa stated also that the initiative had seen the airline expand its footprints both in Nigeria and beyond, while easing the transportation burden of Nigerians.

    He said the airline would begin with four flights per week and that passengers could now fly directly from Lagos and Abuja into the Anambra Airport located at Umueri.

    “This is great news for the people of Anambra as we are launching four flights weekly into the new airport on Tuesday.

    “For a start, we shall be operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and as operations gather momentum, we shall increase frequencies to daily flights,’’ he stated.

    Olisa said passengers could start booking on Air Peace’s website: www.flyairpeace.com or on its mobile app, stressing that the airline planned to connect Anambra with other cities outside Lagos and Abuja.

    He noted that by the end of January 2022, the airline would have started flying Anambra-Kano-Anambra, Anambra-Ibadan-Anambra and Anambra-Port Harcourt-Anambra routes.

    He added that Air Peace was unwaveringly determined to interconnect Nigeria, providing connections which facilitate seamless economic exchanges and foster unity.

    Air Peace currently services 19 domestic routes, six regional routes and two international destinations.

    The airline operates an increasing modern fleet of 32 aircraft, including four new Embraer 195-E2 jets and two Airbus 320s.

  • Emirates Airline lifts 10-month flight suspension to Nigeria, announces resumption of services

    Emirates Airline lifts 10-month flight suspension to Nigeria, announces resumption of services

    Emirates Airlines will resume its passenger operations between Dubai and Nigeria on 5th December 2021.

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier made this known via a statement issued on Thursday.

    The resumption of services comes 10 months after the carrier suspended flights to Nigeria after a diplomatic row between the two countries over COVID-19 protocols.

    “Emirates will resume its passenger operations between Dubai and Nigeria from 5 December 2021, offering customers enhanced connectivity to and through Dubai,” the airline said.

    “The world’s largest international airline will operate to and from its Nigerian gateways with daily flights, providing travellers from Nigeria convenient access to Dubai, which remains a highly popular holiday and business destination. It’ll also enable travellers to safely connect via Dubai to the Emirates network of over 120 global destinations.

    “Emirates will operate to Abuja with EK 785 and 786. EK 785 will depart Dubai at 1100hrs, arriving in Abuja at 1540hrs. The return flight, EK 786 will take off from Abuja at 1900, arriving in Dubai at 0435hrs the next day.

    “Emirates flight EK 783 to Lagos will depart Dubai at 1030hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1540hrs. The return flight EK 784 will depart Lagos at 1810hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0415hrs the next day. All flights can be booked on emirates.com, with OTAs and via travel agents.

    “Throughout the pandemic, Emirates has been helping its customers travel safely and confidently, implementing industry-leading health and safety measures at every point of the travel journey, helping communities reconnect faster and facilitating economic recovery.

    “The airline has also been working hard to provide up to date, comprehensive travel information to its customers, as well as speeding up processes on the ground through digital verification for Covid-19 via the IATA Travel Pass, as well as touchless check-in and biometrics processing.”

  • Emirates Airline cancels bookings, places flights to, from Nigeria ‘on hold’

    Emirates Airline cancels bookings, places flights to, from Nigeria ‘on hold’

    The United Arab Emirates, UAE’s largest airline and flag carrier, Emirates, has announced that “direct flight operation to and from Nigeria is still on hold.”

    Flights had been suspended in March over a diplomatic row between Nigeria and the UAE over COVID-19 protocol

    The UAE authorities had initially fixed June 23 for resumption of flights to Nigeria.

    But the suspension remains in place.

    “Affected flight bookings have been cancelled,” the airline said in a notice on its website on Friday.

    “If your flight has been cancelled or impacted by route suspensions due to COVID‑19 restrictions, you don’t need to call us immediately for rebooking. You can simply hold on to your Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with your booking office or us to make new travel plans.

    “Get all the information on the ‘Keep your ticket’ option here.

    “Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused.

    “Customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking to receive updates.

    “If you are calling to find out about travel requirements for your travel, please check the details on the travel requirements page.”

  • Why Nigeria is yet to resume flights to Dubai – Aviation Minister

    Why Nigeria is yet to resume flights to Dubai – Aviation Minister

    The Federal Government on Monday said flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are yet to resume due to discriminatory nature of protocol introduced by the UAE.

    The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, made the remark during the briefing by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.

    Sirika, who explained that the protocol appeared to be targeted at only Nigerians, added that it was discriminatory and not backed up scientifically.

    He explained that UAE was insistent that all passengers intending to visit its country must use Emirates Airline or spend two weeks in the alternative carrier’s country before gaining entrance to Dubai.

    The minister dismissed insinuations that the continuous delay in the resumption of flights was ego related.

    He, however, said that talks were ongoing to resolve the matter.

    According to him, Emirates in particular and other airlines, including KLM, gave some conditions that were not acceptable to Nigeria because they don’t make scientific sense.

    “After review, some of the airlines, especially KLM, saw sense with what Nigeria presented which is that you can do the test 48 hours to 72 hours before you leave and do another test on arrival.

    “Emirates at that time wanted us to do the test 48 hours before boarding and 48 hours is not yet the incubation time.

    ”They expect us to do a rapid test at the airport and then fly seven hours later and do another test in Dubai and then follow us to our hotel or our accommodation and do another test.

    “That dragged on and in the interest of our people and cordial relationship, even though it is a commercial decision for the airline to take at any point in time, we ceded and accepted that we would do those tests that doesn’t make scientific sense to us at the expense of our people and our monies.

    “We accepted what Emirates presented and proceeded even though KLM and other airlines saw our reasons and rationale and towed the lines of Nigeria.

    “In this case, Emirates insisted again that in addition to the test on arrival and other tests, that Nigerians cannot fly to UAE except through Emirates airline.

    ”And that if we choose to do so through other airlines like Ethiopia, Qatar, Turkish or other airlines, we must remain in the country of that airline for two weeks if we are Nigerians before we continue to Dubai.

    “Meaning that if I buy my ticket in a free market which Nigeria and UAE practices, if I buy a ticket on Ethiopian Airline, that means I must remain in Addis Ababa for two weeks whether I have a visa or not before I proceed to Dubai.

    “So, they insisted that we must fly by Emirates and majority of Nigerians are petty traders and the ticket of Emirates in this case may be higher than other airlines,” Sirika explained.

    He stressed that civil aviation was being guided by agreement and international convention.

    ”It is only one aviation and we found this position to be discriminatory against our country and it is not acceptable.

    “We thought we could take it diplomatically and we have been meeting and exchanging ideas because at some point, they said they are being hard on Nigerians because there are fake results.

    ”And I said there are fake results in UAE, Germany, UK, USA, all over the world, there are fake results but Nigeria went ahead to put measures in place to detect fake results.

    “So, we have gone the extra mile plus if you look at the rate of infection and the rate of people catching COVID-19 in Nigeria, we are far less than many other countries in the world which UAE did not apply that principle upon.

    Sirika said that the total number of deaths in Nigeria might be 3000 and in one day, 3000 Italians died or British and they were still being allowed to go direct to UAE.

    ”Even Ghanaians, Nigeriens and other African countries can go to Dubai directly; so the protocol is country-specific and it is not acceptable by the agreement and convention that we signed with UAE.

    “So, this is the position, it has nothing to do with ego, it is a fact that we cannot be isolated as the only country that they will apply this to.

    “In one of our discussions, they said it is also the same case with South Africa, I want to put it on record that South Africa as a country wrote and demanded that the condition be applied upon them.

    ”So, it is their own choice but it is not the choice of Nigeria that we should be excluded and discriminated against.

    “We are still talking with them and we would likely escalate the matter and I am sure that we would resolve it soon.

    Sirika, however, apologised to passengers, saying, ”we are aware that some have to travel for medical reasons while some have to resume work, some are students and even holidaymakers.

    ”We believe that you have the right to travel to Dubai and you will do so and for the sake of the international convention, we cannot be discriminated against,“ he explained.

  • Foreign airline bags N7m fine for cancelling flights without notice

    Foreign airline bags N7m fine for cancelling flights without notice

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has awarded a fine of N6 million as general damages against Ethiopian Airlines Ltd. for cancelling three Nigerians’ flights without due notice to the plaintiffs.

    In his ruling on Friday, Justice Adekunle Faji also awarded another sum of N1 million as the cost of the action.

    The sums were awarded in favour of the plaintiffs, the Madakin Zazzau, Munir Jaafaru; his wife Hadizat Jaafaru, and their daughter, Hafsat Jaafaru, for the hardships, stress, and inconvenience caused them by the airline’s cancellation of their flights without notice.

    In the suit filed on April 27, 2018, the plaintiffs sought among other things, a declaration that the airline contravened the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Regulations, 2015 by cancelling the flights without due notice and for the consequent hardships, stress, and inconvenience.

    Justice Faji, in his judgment, also held that the defendant was bound to give notice of the flight cancellation to the plaintiffs and having not shown proof of such notice, its action was in breach of the contract of carriage.

    He also found that the defendant breached the contract of carriage with the plaintiffs by its failure to give notice of its flight cancellation, as required by the NCAA Regulations.

    The judge noted that this caused the plaintiffs who were on a family trip in a foreign land hardship, stress, and inconvenience in rescheduling their flights.

    With this decision, the court has established the principle that the cancellation of flights by airlines without due notice to the passenger may render the airline liable.

  • Morocco suspends flights to and fro five additional countries

    Morocco suspends flights to and fro five additional countries

    Morocco said on Wednesday that it had suspended all flights to and from Mali, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Libya, to curb the spread of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) variants.

    The Moroccan National Airport Office (ONDA) disclosed this in a statement posted on its website.

    It added that the suspension was temporary, and would run until April 10.

    According to the office, the ban also concerns the entry of passengers of these countries arriving through other countries.

    Morocco has so far suspended air connections with 35 countries to curb the spread of the coronavirus and the more contagious COVID-19 variants.

    The North African country last week extended the state of health emergency to April 10, while a nationwide vaccination campaign is going on so as to reach herd immunity.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that as of Tuesday, the tally of COVID-19 infections in Morocco reached 492,403, with 8,775 deaths and 480,100 recoveries.

    Meanwhile, 4,265,196 people have received so far the first vaccine shot against COVID-19 in the country, and 2,593,204 people have received the second dose.

    Morocco launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China’s Sinopharm vaccines.

  • COVID-19: UAE suspends flights from Nigeria

    COVID-19: UAE suspends flights from Nigeria

    The Management of Air Peace on Thursday announced that the UAE Government had stopped the airlifting of passengers from Nigeria to Dubai as part of its COVID-19 measures.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had last week threatened to suspend flight operations from UAE and The Netherlands.

    The decision, according to the PTF is due to the new COVID-19 protocols introduced by the countries for travellers.

    The two countries recently asked passengers from Nigeria to do a PCR test four hours before departing Nigeria.

    Confirming the new development in a statement, Air Peace Spokesperson, Mr Stanley Olisa said that flights bringing Nigerians back from UAE were not affected.

    According to him, to this end, Air Peace flight from UAE (Sharjah-Dubai) to Lagos is not affected.

    “Normal flights shall resume when the restriction is lifted from Feb. 28, 2021.

    “Our esteemed customers whose flights are disrupted by this development can send a mail to us via callcenter@flyairpeace.com for a possible reschedule,” he added.

    He expressed the management’s appreciation to its numerous customers for their continued patronage.

  • FG threatens to suspend UAE, Netherlands flights

    FG threatens to suspend UAE, Netherlands flights

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said it may suspend flight operations from United Arab Emirates (UAE) and The Netherlands.

    The decision, according to the PTF is due to the new COVID-19 protocols introduced by the countries for travellers.

    The two countries recently asked passengers from Nigeria to do a PCR test four hours before departing Nigeria.

    This was disclosed in Abuja on Monday by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu during the weekly briefing by members of the PTF.

    Nuhu said: “Couple of countries, namely UAE and Netherlands have put in extra requirements for passengers who will be entering their country and some are specific to Nigeria.

    “In addition to the requirements are a requirement for PCR test before passengers departs from Nigeria to their countries. They are adding an extra requirement of having a rapid test done four hours before departure or before you board.

    “For us, passengers do the test 72 hours before departure and then the PCR test and the PTF recognizes the rights of all countries to put in measures to protect their citizens just like Nigeria has done.

    “However, these countries and airlines cannot determine for Nigeria who to approve or how these test will be done. We are going to be having a discussion with these airlines and these countries.

    “If they insist on having these additional tests being done, then PTF has decided that their operations will be suspended into Nigeria until the time the PTF puts in a structure and deals with the logistics on how this second test can be done successfully within four hours before departure to these two countries.

    “This will enable the PTF to have a clear and transparent process on determining who will do these test because there is a requirement for accreditation by NCDC, National Laboratory Council, Lagos state government for Lagos airport and FCT for Abuja airport.”

    Nuhu also stated that the procurement process has commenced to have the test done at the airports.

    He said: “The PTF has started the procurement process of who will be allowed to do the test at the airports and there is a shortlist of four or five companies. So, this process will be brought to conclusion in order to select the laboratories who will carry out the tests at both Lagos and Abuja airports.”

    He also hinted that some airlines that flouted the COVID-19 protocols have been sanctioned, adding that a comprehensive list would be out soon.

    “The NCAA has started the implementation of sanctions against airlines that have brought passengers that are not in compliance with COVID-19 protocol into Nigeria. Some of the airlines have been fined, some have

    paid and some have requested further information for them to process this.

    “We are working closely with the Port Health Authority to have the updated list of those who are in noncompliance with the PTF protocols into Nigeria.”

  • Poland re-introduces ban on flights from US, France, Spain, 43 other countries

    Poland re-introduces ban on flights from US, France, Spain, 43 other countries

    Poland will ban flights from 46 countries, including France and Spain, as of Sept. 2, according to a draft regulation published on Thursday.

    The ban is coming as the country grapples with a spike in coronavirus infections.

    The move follows targeted measures to reintroduce restrictions on public life in the worst affected parts of the country, as the government tries to tackle the spread of the virus without resorting to a complete lockdown.

    “Due to the threat of spreading SARS CoV-2 virus infections, it is necessary to exercise the right to introduce air traffic bans… in order to minimise the threat to public health,’’ the regulation said.

    Poland closed its borders and suspended flights in March to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

    However, it progressively loosened restrictions on public life, with shopping centres, hotels and restaurants all reopening in May.

    Polish national airline, ‘PLL LOT’ resumed international flights on July 1, almost four months after suspending them.

    Other countries affected by the ban are popular tourist destinations like Montenegro and Croatia as well as Romania, the U.S., Israel, Mexico and Brazil.

    Poland has reported 64,689 cases of the novel coronavirus and 2,010 deaths.

  • Expect increase in flight prices, FG tells Nigerians as domestic operations resume

    Expect increase in flight prices, FG tells Nigerians as domestic operations resume

    The Nigerian government has approved the resumption of domestic flight as soon as practicable inline with existing international and local guidelines on COVID-19.

    The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who made this known at its bi-weekly briefing on Monday, said Nigerians should expect a hike in airfare.

    “The domestic aviation services is allowed to resume operations as soon as practicable in line with existing international and local guidelines on COVID-19,” he said.

    He said the resumption of flight operations would come with an increase in airfare.

    He explained that the increment of products and services was not peculiar to the aviation sector.

    According to him, prices of things have surged since the coronavirus outbreak.

    “Prices have increased generally. The prices of things prior to COVID-19 is different from what it used to be.

    “Even in the market, things have increased. That is the difficult thing that is going to confront us as a people and because of the protocols that are going to be introduced in the whole aviation business, you will definitely expect an increase in the prices,” he said.

    Nigeria shut its airports, except for essential flights, in March as the country began to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic which has caused over 500 deaths in the country.

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had earlier announced that some domestic flights would resume on June 21.

    The aviation ministry, however, said it needed more time to prepare.