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Tag: international flights

  • India suspends international flights till further notice

    India suspends international flights till further notice

    Commercial international flights to and from India shall remain suspended until further orders, officials said Monday.

    According to a circular issued by the country’s civil aviation Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday, the restriction shall not be applicable for international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.

    “The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till further orders.

    “However, flights under air bubble arrangement will not be affected.”

    Commercial flights were suspended when the country imposed a complete nationwide lockdown late in March 2020 to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Domestic flights resumed operations in India on May 25, 2020, after nearly two months of suspension while international flights continue to remain suspended.

    Meanwhile, Indian authorities have been operating special international flights since May 2020 and under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with select countries since July 2021.

  • India suspends all international flights till next year

    India suspends all international flights till next year

    India virtually shut itself against the world on Thursday when it extended the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services till December 31.

    The aviation authorities said the extended suspension was because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    India is the second worst-hit country by the virus, after the United States.

    It has recorded 9,266,705 infections and over 135,261 deaths, as at Thursday.

    The extension of the suspended commercial flights was announced on Thursday by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

    It did so in a notification titled ‘Travel and Visa restrictions related to COVID-19’.

    READ ALSO 25 rescued, 50 trapped in collapsed 5-storey building in India
    It said: “In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs of 31St December, 2020.”

  • International flights: FG bars RwandAir, AirFrance, KLM others from entering Nigeria [Full List]

    International flights: FG bars RwandAir, AirFrance, KLM others from entering Nigeria [Full List]

    International flights will start arriving in Nigeria from 5 September, the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said on Thursday.

    But not all airlines will be allowed to come in for now.

    Those banned are Lufthansa, KLM, TAAG Angola Airline, RwandAir, Etihad, Air France and Air Namibia

    The airlines that have Nigeria’s aviation authorities green light include Virgin Atlantic, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airline, Delta Airline, Qatar, Emirates and others as highlighted below.

    Sirika, who spoke on Thursday at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja, said there is no going back on the Sept. 5, 2020 date for resumption of international flights as all preparations have been completed.

    Sirika said all aviation preparations and COVID-19 protocols have been perfected and the airports in Abuja and Lagos are for reopening.

    He said the airlines coming into the country were the airlines approved for operations with appropriate COVID-19 protocols.

    Sirika further noted that intending passengers must register online, pay for COVID-19 test fee and upload the COVID-19 negative result not older than 72 hours before boarding.

    While warning against sharp practices, he said any airline caught with passengers without COVID-19 negative result would be fined $3500 for each passenger and the passenger returned if he or she was a foreigner.

    The passenger would in addition, be suspended from flying for six months.

    Giving more insights into the reasons for ban and the principle of reciprocity being applied to some countries, the minister said Nigeria was simply following what each country has done to Nigeria.

    Some of the countries which have already banned flights from Nigeria are in the European Union (EU) as the EU included Nigeria on the banned countries on the first of July, 2020 when they opened their airspace.

    According to the minister: “Now, at this point, it is important that we announce the airlines that are allowed for operations into the country. The ones not approved are Air France. Middle East Airlines is approved for only Lagos (airport). British Airways (is) approved – allowed entry under COVID-19 protocol.

    “The reason for Air France is that tourists’ business holders are not allowed entry. KLM not approved for the same reason as Air France. Delta Airlines, no restrictions – USA, we have an Open Skies with them and they also allow us in.

    “Qatar Airways is allowed and approved under COVID-19 protocol. Etihad, not approved. Ethiopian Airlines allowed entry under COVID-19 protocol. EgyptAir approved, allowed entry under COVID-19 protocol.

    “RwandAir, not approved. Air Peace, not applicable, they are our own carrier in Nigeria, we thank them. Virgin Atlantic, approved, allowed entry under COVID-19 protocol. Air Namibia, not approved. Asky, approved. Royal Air Maroc, not approved. African World Airways, Ghana, approved.

    “Air Cote d’Ivoire, approved. Lufthansa, not approved. Kenya Airways approved. Emirates Airlines, approved. Turkish Airlines, approved. Cabo Verde not applicable as international flights are yet to resume. TAAG Angola Airlines, not approved. South African Airways not applicable as international flights are yet to resume.”

    List of Airlines that can fly into Nigeria:

    EgyptAir

    Virgin Atlantic,

    Turkish Airlines,

    African World Airways (AWA),

    Kenya Airways

    Middle East Airlines

    British Airways

    Delta Airlines

    Qatar Airways

    Emirates

    Asky

    Air Cote D’Ivoire

    Emirates

    Ethiopian Airlines,

    Air Cote D’Ivoire

    Air Senegal

    Airlines barred from Nigeria:

    Air France,

    KLM

    Lufthansa

    Etihad Airways

    TAAG Angola Airlines

    Air Namibia

    RwandAir

    Royal Air Maroc

  • No going back on Int’l flights resumption — Minister

    No going back on Int’l flights resumption — Minister

    The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, says there is no going back on the Sept. 5, 2020 date for resumption of international flights as all preparations have been completed.

    Speaking at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, Sirika said all aviation preparations and COVID-19 protocols had been perfected and the airport was set for reopening.

    The minister also revealed that Air France, Lufthansa, Ethihad airlines, Air Rwanda, Air Namibia, among others, were banned from coming into the country.

    He, however, said that British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Qatar, Middle East, Turkish, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic were among the airlines approved for operations with appropriate COVID-19 protocols.

    Sirika further noted that intending passengers must register online, pay for COVID-19 test fee and upload the COVID-19 negative result not older than 72 hours before boarding.

    While warning against sharp practices, he said any airline caught with passengers without COVID-19 negative result would be fined $3500 for each passenger and the passenger returned if he or she was a foreigner.

    Giving more insights into the reasons for ban and the principle of reciprocity being applied to some countries, the minister said Nigeria was simply following what each country had done to the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the principle means all countries that have banned flights from Nigeria, will also have planes from their countries banned from entry into Nigeria.

    Some of the countries which have already banned flights from Nigeria are in the European Union (EU) as the EU included Nigeria on the banned countries on the first of July, 2020 when they opened their airspace.

    NAN reports that an inspection of the airport showed that all areas had been adequately marked for social distancing, with necessary signals placed across the airport.

    Also, hand sanitisers, water for hand washing and all necessary non pharmaceutical protocols had been installed at the airports in readiness for the resumption of flights.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman, PTF on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, expressed worry over increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia and South Africa.

    According to him, South Africa still has the highest case count in Africa but has fallen from the fifth to the sixth position in the world.

    “In Ethiopia, the numbers have been on the increase.

    “Both South Africa and Ethiopia are of interest to Nigeria in view of the passenger traffic between Nigeria and the two countries and our plans to reopen the international air space,” Mustapha said.

  • BREAKING: FG moves resumption of international flights from Aug 29 to Sept 5

    BREAKING: FG moves resumption of international flights from Aug 29 to Sept 5

    The Federal Government has shifted resumption of international flights billed for August 27 to September 5.

    The new date was announced at the presidential task force on COVID-19 briefing on Thursday.

    The federal government had initially announced that international flights would resume from August 29.

    Meanwhile, Tthe Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has disclosed a plan to increase Passenger Service Charge (PSC) by 100 percent.

    The new charge according to the agency will take effect from September 1st, 2020.

    With the new charge, domestic passengers who used to pay N1000 will now pay N2000 while international passengers within the ECOWAS region will pay $80 and others $100.

  • BREAKING: FG activates process for resumption of international flights

    BREAKING: FG activates process for resumption of international flights

    The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has asked the aviation authorities and airline operators to begin the process for the restart of international flights.

    With the reopening of domestic airports for local flights in July after about four months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, travellers had been in high hopes for the resumption of international flights.

    The PTF National Coordinator, Sani Aliyu, during a briefing on Thursday in Abuja, said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other agencies, as well as airlines, should commence the process for the resumption of international flights.

    According to Aliyu, passengers would arrive three hours before flights when the country’s airspace finally reopens for international operations.

    He said, “Specific to air transportation, as you are aware, domestic flights have already resumed, the railway sector has also restarted. For international travel, we have made recommendations to the aviation industry to commence the process for reopening international airports provided all existing international and local Covid-19 protocol are in place.

    “We have modified the protocol for passenger arrivals at the airports. Domestic passengers arriving at the airports are advised to arrive one hour before their flights and three hours before international flights when this restarts.”

    The national coordinator stressed that though the government would like to restart international flights to balance health concerns and economic recovery, the government also would like to do so in a safe manner.

    “There may be additional infrastructure for some of the airports. What we want to do and we’ve made it very clear at the PTF is that we want to resume as soon as possible but in a safe manner and do not put at risk all that we’ve done to control this pandemic. Hopefully in weeks but not month,” he added.

    Also, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the government was conscious of its decision and would like to reopen as soon as possible while working with other ministries, departments, and agencies of government.

    The minister, who also lamented that jobs are being lost due to the pandemic, however, said international flights would resume in a safe manner.

  • FG set to announce resumption date for international flights

    FG set to announce resumption date for international flights

    The Federal Government is set to announce the agreed date for the resumption of international flights in Nigeria.

    There had been reports that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had selected October 15 as the resumption date for international flights.

    But in a tweet on Tuesday, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika said FG will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE etc. stressing that the announcement may be earlier than October.

    Sirika added “International flight resumption date is not October. NAMA just issued a routine 90-day notice to airmen (NOTAM),” he wrote.

    “In liaison with health, foreign affairs & PTF COVID-19, we will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE etc. May be earlier than October.”

    The nation’s airports were closed on March 23, 2020, to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

    Domestic flight operations began across the country on July 8 with the Lagos and Abuja airports while Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri airports reopened on July 11.

    Sirika had earlier said the federal government will not rush to resume flights because whatever decisions to be made would be in the interest of the public.

    “You are very aware that so many countries had placed a ban on countries that we cannot go even from Nigeria,” he said at the time.

    “Also Nigeria, of course, will place a ban on other countries that cannot come in here. Everyone is trying to keep safe.

    “These and many other reasons will make us be cautious and study some more and liaise with stakeholders to decide when we will open international flights.

    “Within the sector, we want to reopen because we are bleeding and losing money but we have to remain alive first before we make money. Whatever decision we take has to be in the interest of humanity in general.”

    At present, flights have to receive approval from the ministry of aviation before operating any flight can be operated; only diplomatic and essential flights are allowed.