KLM and Etihad among airlines barred from Nigeria

By Ishaq Khalid

 Nigeria has barred airlines from a number of countries as it resumes international passenger flights on Saturday. 

Ten airlines have not been allowed to operate - including Air France, KLM Royal Dutch from the Netherlands, Lufthansa from Germany, and Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates. 

This is because Nigerians with tourist visas are not allowed entry into those countries. 

Nigeria had said it would retaliate any entry ban against its citizens. 

Some of the airlines are not allowed to operate in Nigeria because their own countries have yet to resume international passenger flights. 

But flights from 14 airlines will be allowed to land including from British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. 

Passengers will only be allowed into the country under strict conditions:

• All passengers must present a negative result from a Covid-19 test done more than four days before departure - and they will be tested again on arrival

• Passengers with coronavirus symptoms will not be allowed to board

• Any airline operator that carries any passenger without a negative test result will be fined the sum of $3,500 (£2,600) and must return the passenger to the country of departure

Nigeria suspended international flights in March as part of efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The resumption of the flights comes after a week delay due to logistical issues.

It is part of what the authorities called "reopening the economy" affected by the pandemic. 

Nigeria has recorded more than 54,000 cases with just over 1,000 deaths but daily infections are beginning to decline.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: Getty Images