Ahead of the resumption of commercial flights in the country, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said non-travellers would not be allowed into the airport terminal building.
This means only passengers with valid travel documents will be allowed inside the airport building.
The Authority made this known on Wednesday as part of the new protocols for the restart of flights amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It also enjoined persons coming to pick up arriving passengers to remain in their cars until travellers exit airports’ entrances.
FAAN urged travellers to wear face masks, maintain two metres distance and arrive at airports at least three hours before flights to ensure proper checks.
These directives are part of the FAAN’s measures to ensure smooth operations when airports reopen and commercial flights resume.
The presidential task force on COVID-19 (PTF) had last week announced June 21 as the tentative date for the resumption of domestic flights.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, said;
The aviation industry is requested to start developing protocols to allow for domestic flights to resume anytime from the 21st of June onwards.
The task force coordinator, however, noted that flight resumption would be dependent on the readiness of aviation agencies and airlines.
He stated that safety measures and protocols provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) must be put in place.
While giving an update recently, Aliyu said the PTF was yet to receive any update from the aviation sector on its preparedness to restart commercial flight operations.
Nigeria’s airports and airspace were shut in March by the President Buhari as part of efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President’s directive only permitted the operation of essential flights including those for medical and evacuation purposes, amongst others.
