Pascal Arogorn Ibe
After a five -month closure of the Nigerian airspace to scheduled international flights due to lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic , foreign travel resumed in the country on Saturday when an aircraft operated by Middle East Airlines touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos .
The plane which took off from Beirut, Lebanon , landed at the airport at exactly 02:27 pm.
Two other airlines including Delta and British Airways are also expected to begin flight operations at the airport today . The Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , is also expected to reopen for international flights .
Earlier on Friday, an inspection team from the Lagos State Government visited the MMIA to ascertain its readiness to resume flight operations .
The team included Lagos State Deputy Governor , Obafemi Hamzat; the state Transportation Commissioner , Frederic Oladeinde ; as well as the state Health Commissioner , Akin Abayomi, amongst others .
They were led round the various facilities in the airport by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria , Capt Hamisu Yadudu and the airport manager , Victoria Shina -Aba , alongside other officials .
The FAAN boss had disclosed Friday that Middle East Airlines would operate the first flight into the country today.
The Minister of Aviation , Hadi Sirika, had said there would be sanctions for non -compliance with the guidelines on the part of the approved airlines and the passengers .
He said passengers who fail to comply with the Covid- 19 protocol put in place to curb the importation of the virus would be suspended from travelling for six months while airlines that fail to comply would pay a fine of $3, 500 per passenger .
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