An Ethiopia Airline plane on Monday, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, conveying 120 passengers and 13 crew members from Addis Ababa. The aircraft with registration number ET-AUC arrived at 1:32 pm.
It was the first commercial flight into the capital city since March 2020.
Speaking with newsmen after the flight arrived, the Director-General of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabio Yadudu, described the feat as a huge breakthrough in the aviation industry in the country.
He recalled that the Federal Government closed the nation’s airspace due to COVID-19 pandemic in March. The international flight that just arrived is a lifesaver to all of us in the aviation industry. The past seven months have been challenging for everybody in the sector.
“The first flight that did come into domestic wings gave us a lot of confidence that we were coming back. Now the international flight. I believe every stakeholder in the aviation sector is happy. Having multiple international flights in a day depends on the preparation of the airline. Our airport has resumed operation and we open our doors for the airlines. Some airlines are ready to resume today while some will be ready within the week,” he said.
Yadudu commended passengers for their patience and compliance with stated policy to avoid spreading COVID-19 in the airport.
Some of the arriving passengers, however, frowned at the tedious nature of the processes they were made to go through by airport officials. They also complained about the long period it took to fill the COVID-19 test form online.
– TNV