FG Impounds British Aircraft For Conducting Commercial Flights Amid COVID19

The Federal Government has impounded an aircraft owned by a British company for conducting commercial flights operation into Nigeria amid COVID-19 lockdown.

This was announced on Sunday by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, via his official Twitter handle @hadisirika, saying that the company, Flair Aviation, was given the approval to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights.

Recall that the federal government extended flight ban on May 6 by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha during the Presidential Task Force daily briefing on COVID-19.

Mustapha said the decision was based on the assessment and advice from experts of the aviation industry to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country

According to Sirika’s tweet, while the aircraft remains impounded, the crew is currently being interrogated. He also threatened that there will be a maximum penalty.

“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 a maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve!,” Sirika said.

The Federal Government had earlier had shut down the airspace following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The flight ban was recently extended by another month.