Coronavirus: FG ready to suspend domestic flight operations

Federal government has threatened to suspend domestic flight operations over flouting COVID-19 protocols.

OnyxNews Nigeria reports that the federal government said continued disobedience of COVID-19 protocols will attract heavy punishment which includes cancellation of approval to resume domestic operations.

The government made this known clear in a letter signed by the director-general of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu.

NCAA said the resumption of domestic operations was allowed on the ground that the airlines would stick to the COVID-19 protocol put in place by the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

In the letter titled: ‘Non-Compliance With COVID-19 Protocol’, which was addressed to airlines, the regulatory agency warned defaulters to stop disregarding the rules, or face severe sanctions, which may lead the reversal of the approval granted to the affected operators.

“It has been brought to the notice of the NCAA that some domestic airline operators have not been complying with the COVID-19 protocol as released through all operators letter (AOL) DG 035/20 ref. NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/260 and advisory circular (AC) NCAA-AC-AMS-006 both dated September 4, 2020,” the letter read.

“Approvals for the resumption of domestic operations are predicated on compliance with the above protocol.

“This is a warning to all domestic operators who are not in compliance to desist from such acts immediately.

“The continued non-compliance with the COVID-19 protocol will attract severe penalties up to and including cancellation of approval to resume domestic operations. Please be guided accordingly,” the letter added.