COVID-19: FG SUSPENDS OUTBOUND EMIRATE FLIGHTS
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has placed a 72-hour suspension on outbound Emirates Airlines flights from Nigeria.
In a circular dated 4th February 2021 and signed by Musa Nuhu, NCAA director-general, the regulatory body claimed that Emirates Airlines has violated guidelines put in place by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The airline is accused of airlifting passengers from Nigeria using rapid antigen tests done at laboratories which are not approved by regulatory authorities.
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The circular read, “Based on the foregoing and to enable the Nigerian government to put in place the needed infrastructure and logistics for COVID-19 RDT testing for departing passengers, the PTF has directed that Emirates Airlines should either accept passengers without RDT pending when the infrastructure and logistics are put in place or suspend its flights to and from Nigeria until such a time when the required infrastructure and logistics are fully established and implemented.
“Emirates Airlines has not been in compliance with the two options given by the PTF as records obtained from Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) indicates that Emirates Airlines operated the flights from both Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
“Emirates should suspend its operations to Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) effective 72 hours from midnight on Thursday, February 4, 2021.
“During the 72-hour leeway, Emirates Airlines is only authorised to bring passengers into Nigeria. Outbound passengers are not authorised.”
The NCAA said additional sanctions would be imposed on Emirates Airlines for the violations of COVID-19 protocols and the airline will be informed as to when to resume operations.
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