The Federal Government’s delay in issuing notice to airmen (NOTAM) and low passenger turnout are key factors delaying the resumption of international flights from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa; and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

This is just as THISDAY learnt on Wednesday that the alleged insistence by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that only Emirates Airlines would be allowed to operate to Dubai from Nigeria has prompted the Minister of Aviation to deny the Middle East airline the approval to resume flights to Abuja and Lagos.

THISDAY investigations revealed that after the special flights operated by Ethiopia Airlines and Egypt Air on April 6, 2021, from Kano to Addis Ababa and Cairo respectively, international flight service was expected to have officially opened from the Kano airport, but airlines are yet to complete their documentations to kick-off operations from there.

THISDAY also learnt that the delay in issuing NOTAM announcing that flights have resumed at the Enugu and Port Harcourt airports was also the reason why flights were yet to start from the two airports, just as Lufthansa, which operates to Port Harcourt airport was yet to express readiness to fly to that destination due to feared low turnout of passengers.

A senior official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who disclosed these to THISDAY said Kano airport was officially opened after the special flights by the two African airlines on April 6, but while Port Harcourt Airport has been certified as meeting all the health and other protocols for international service, Enugu, which has met the health protocols is yet to be certified because other protocols, which include markings are yet to be completed. Read more