Ethiopian Airlines resumes flights from U.S. to Nigeria

Ethiopian Airlines, has resumed passenger flights from New Jersey, United States, to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.

Africa’s largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines, has resumed passenger flights from New Jersey, United States, to Lagos and Abuja. This follows the recent reopening of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Sept. 5.

Mr Million Legesse, Ethiopian Airlines’ Traffic and Sales Manger in New York said that the flights would operate from the Newark Liberty International Airport.

Legesse said all preparations had been made, including strict COVID-19 and other health measures, for passengers’ safety and comfort.

According to Legesse, the indirect flights will be operated by the airline’s new Boeing B787-800 aircrafts.

“The total flight time to Nigeria is about 13 hours with short connection time at Togo which is 1 hr 30 mins,” he said.“We have west African connections to other countries, Mali, Benin, Senegal, Cameron, Liberia, Niger, with short connections,” he said.

The Federal Government of Nigeria, suspended international flights on March 23 as part of efforts to check the spread of the coronavirus.

This, in addition to travel restrictions by other countries, left many Nigerians stranded in different parts of the world. Although the government intervened by organising special evacuation flights to repatriate those on short-term visits abroad.

Ethiopian Airlines operated all nine evacuation flights from the U.S. that saw the repatriation of 2,322 stranded Nigerians.