The Federal Government yesterday said that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is 90 per cent ready to open up the airways for domestic flights to resume in the country.
It said even though it is not 100 per cent satisfied with what is on ground, it is 90 per cent satisfied with what has been done to get the sector ready for business.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known at a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Lagos after the Aero Contractors plane on dry test run flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, landed.
The test run of the facilities in the two airports is to determine their readiness for the resumption of domestic flight operations across the country.
According to the minister, passengers for domestic and international flights would arrive three and five hours respectively before boarding due to the present reality of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He reiterated that all protocol guidelines would be observed, stressing that the measures are for safety.
He said that to ensure persons not permitted to be at the airport would not gain access to the airport, the physical distancing would begin right from the drop off points.
The aviation minister said that passengers would aside from presenting their mode of identification also remove their masks for five seconds for the security operatives to confirm that they are truly the person to fly before they would be allowed into the airport.
“Nobody not permitted to travel will access the airport, adding that the new airport security operatives have been trained to handle and ensure compliance with the help of K9,” he said.
Sirika said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the directives for such, adding that it would be implemented to the letter.
The minister explained that there would be zero contact with the person screening passengers, adding that the number of seats in the departure hall has been reduced from 500 or 700 to 200 or 250.
Sirika said that part of the readiness of the airports is the automated dispensing of soap, as well as water at the toilets and limitation to maximum of five persons in the restroom in line with physical distancing protocol.
He, however, assured that efforts would be made to stagger the flights to accommodate everyone without creating additional burdens for passengers.
The minister also explained that the airlines have been given permission to carry out dry run of flights across the country to ensure the airworthiness of their planes.
Speaking, the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnibe Mamora, said that no matter what is out in place by the aviation authority, individual responsibility is the most important form of protection, adding that compliance is very critical.
Also, the coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, said that the aviation sector has done tremendously well and is ready to begin business.
He, however, restated the call for every Nigerian to take responsibility for his/her own safety, saying that henceforth the government would enforce compliance with the protocols.
He said: “What will protect you is yourself, you have to challenge those putting you at risk who are wearing a face mask and maintaining physical distancing.”
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja also witnessed strict compliance to other safety measures, aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus.
Provisions were made for hand wash and alcohol-based sanitisers, temperature checks, as well as strict compliance to social distancing of about one metre apart.
Journalists covering the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, were led on dry run test from Lagos to Abuja, to witness firsthand, reopening of the aviation sector.
Checks for COVID-19 safety protocols and screening, were carried out on passengers at the departure lounge.
The seats, which were usually crowded, have been rearranged in compliance with the social distancing rule.
Inscriptions to further guide passengers, such as “do not use this seat”, “keep your distance”, were placed on the seats.
Also, two newly acquired machines, for the purpose of identifying passengers, had been stationed at the airport.
Source: Sun News
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