The Federal Government has impounded Flair Aviation aircraft for violating the ban on commercial flight into Nigeria following the outbreak of coronavirus. The aircraft is owned by a British company that operated a commercial flights into Nigeria without approval. Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this via his Twitter handle, @hadisirika. He said the company, Flair Aviation, was authorised to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights.
Sirika explained that in addition to the confiscated aircraft, a “maximum penalty” would be imposed on the company for the contravention of FG’s ban on commercial flights as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably, we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, the crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve,” the minister tweeted.
It will be recalled that the country’s airports and airspace were shut in March by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of efforts to contain COVID-19. On May 6, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, announced that the closure of the country’s airports and airspace were further extended by four weeks after due consultations with experts.
