BEVERLY HILLS, March 27, (THEWILL) – A chartered Air France Flight AF0986 has evacuated 260 European citizens from Nigeria and additional 118 European citizens from other West African countries through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
THISDAY reported that the Air France flight landed in Lagos via Cotonou with 118 passengers on board at 3 p.m. local time while the British High Commission is also exploring options for sending its staff, dependents and other Britons to the UK.
Investigation revealed that the landing of the aircraft was delayed for two hours over what NCAA called “load sheet balancing” but the 260 passengers boarded the flight from Lagos and the aircraft took off to Paris about 3.44 pm local time
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It was gathered that the federal government granted Air France – KLM one-week permission to evacuate European citizens from Nigeria.
However, the airlines are also mopping up European citizens from the West Coast because of the projection that COVID-19 spread in Africa might spike in the coming days.
In a letter dated March 24, 2020, which emanated from the office of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, with reference no: FMA/ATMD/501/C.17/T2/562 and addressed to the General Manager of Air France- KLM in Nigeria and Ghana, Mr. Micheal Colleau, the federal government said it had approved for the airline to operate essential flights from March 26 to April 2.
The letter read: “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated March 23, 2020 on the above subject and to convey the Honourable Minister’s approval for your airline to operate essential flights from Lagos to Paris with flight number AF0986 originating from Cotonou (COO 0745 LOS 0820, LOS -0950 CDG 1615).
“I am further directed to inform you to undertake the operation strictly based on the protocol guiding the kind of operation under COVID-19 as issued by the Nigerian Aeronautical Authorities, most especially, the All Operators Letter issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) with ref: NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/108 dated March 23, 2020.”
The letter was signed by the Director, Air Transport Management, MS Naibi, on behalf of the minister.
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