Tag: Air France

International Flights: FG Lifts Ban On Lufthansa, Air France And KLM

File photo of an Airbus A-320 of the Lufthansa airline PHOTO: INA FASSBENDER / AFP

 

The Lufthansa, Air France/KLM have been given the approval by the Federal Government to resume operations into Nigeria.

This was announced by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, in a tweet on Tuesday.

The Minister in the tweet also hinted at the possible reopening of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport, and Enugu Airport before the end of the year.

He added that Qatar Airways has been granted approval to resume flights to Abuja.

“We are working with Ministry of Health, CACOVID & The PTF to open Kano, Port Harcourt & possibly Enugu airports before the end of the year. Also Lufthansa, Air France/KLM have been given go-ahead to resume. Qatar Airways is approved to start Abuja. Thank you for your patience,” the Tweet read.

 

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had earlier in September restricted 10 airlines from operating in the country when international flight resumed.

At the time, Sirika said Air France and KLM airlines were not granted approval for flight operations because “tourist visa holders are not allowed entry” in the airlines’ originating countries.

Air France To Check Passengers’ Temperatures, Enforce Use of Masks

A member of the French civil protection (protection civile) holds a thermometer and a document with pictograms to ask to migrants and homeless people to verify if they have symptoms of COVID-19 in an accommodation center in Nantes, western France, on May 08, 2020, on the 53rd day of a strict lockdown in France to attempt to stop the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / AFP

 

Air France will check passengers’ temperatures and could bar anyone from boarding its flights if it is deemed too high when France’s lockdown measures are eased on Monday.

Passengers, crew and staff dealing with customers must also wear masks from Monday, in line with requirements for all public transport, the airline said in statement Saturday.

“Air France will progressively implement temperature checks on departure from all its flights,” starting May 11, the company said.

“These systematic checks will be carried out with contactless infrared thermometers.”

Customers with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) “may be denied boarding and their reservation will be changed at no extra charge on a flight at a later date.”

Masks will be required of all passengers, all crew and agents who deal with customers.

The company said it will also try to space passengers as far apart as possible, which is easier given the drop in demand for air travel.

It will also thoroughly disinfect planes, including using a product deemed to be effective against viruses for ten days.

There will be no drinks or food served onboard domestic flights or short trips within Europe.

Air France said its planes are equipped with HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters identical to those used in hospital operating theatres.

The filters extract virtually all small viruses, including those no larger than 0.01 micrometres, it said. The coronavirus ranges between 0.08 and 0.16 micrometres.

France is due on Monday to start easing a lockdown that began in mid-March as the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths show signs of slowing.

A list of scheduled Air France flights starting Monday was not immediately available.

Mali Attack: Special Forces Storm Hotel, 30 Hostages Freed

mali attackSpecial forces have entered the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali’s capital, Bamako, to end the siege by gunmen who had been holding 170 people hostage.

The gunmen stormed the US-owned hotel, which is popular with foreign businesses and airline crews, shooting and shouting “God is great!” in Arabic.

Mali’s Interior Minister, Salif Traore, said 30 hostages had been freed so far.

Three people had been shot dead and two soldiers were wounded, but their lives were not in danger, he said.

Among the rescued people are: 12 crew members of Air France and five from Turkish Airlines.

Report says Chinese citizens and indians were among those trapped inside the building.

The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force said it was supporting the operation, as Malian special forces freed hostages “floor by floor”.

The Radisson Blu Hotel attack is coming a week after Islamic State (IS) militants killed 129 people in Paris.

Foreign airlines are competing to ply Nigeria’s airspace because of its safety – NAMA

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has stated that the nation experienced a 12.8% increase in aircraft movement in the first six months of the year 2012, thereby affirming the safety of the nation’s airspace.

The statement is coming on the heels of allegations that foreign airlines are avoiding flying the Nigerian airspace en route other countries.

According to the Managing Director of NAMA, Mr Nnamdi Udoh, foreign airlines like British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Air France and Lufthansa Airline are currently flying the Nigerian airspace frequently and they are asking for more slots.

“They would not be asking for more frequencies if the nation’s airspace was unsafe” he inferred.

Mr Udoh also noted that more foreign airlines such as Etihad Airways are bidding to launch their services in the Nigerian airspace, stating the federal government is only restricting their services to encourage local airlines ply the same routes.

He also revealed that revenues earned the international flyers increased by 5 per cent there by leading to another increase of 8 per cent in passengers.

Stephanie Okereke charters Arik air for wedding in France

Popular Nollywood actress Stephanie Okereke and Linus Idahosa will soon be walking down the aisle in France.

The event will hold on 21st April, and it is slated to be a private event for just family and very close friends.

Arik air will be the official airline, conveying selected guests from Nigeria to France with a chartered flight.

Air France also will be taking interested persons at discounted prices.

The event is one of the most anticipated events in Nollywood this year.