British Airways defies UK ban operates flight out of Lagos airport

Despite the ban of flights from Nigeria by the British government which came into effect on the 5th of December, British Airways on Monday operated inbound and outbound flights out of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport ,MMIA,  Lagos. An MMIA official who confirmed this development told journalists that the British carrier  with flight number BAO75 flew into Lagos from London Heathrow airport. He said the aircraft ” landed at the runways of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at exactly 04.55 am. It parked at the apron at 05.09 am with 256 passengers and 14 crew members on board.”

“The return flight out of Lagos for British Airways 074 to London Heathrow was ready for pushback at 11.08 am with 41 passengers on board. The aircraft departed at 11.33 am.The carrier also airlifted Nigerian passengers from Lagos to London Heathrow.” The airport official said the resedulling of flights by international carriers might be responsible for the Monday flight operations. He added that ” I will not be surprised if more flights from Nigeria go to UK today and tomorrow , Tuesday”. It will be recalled that the British High Commission, Abuja had said that Nigeria would be added to the travel ban list from 4 am Monday, December 6, 2021, following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which are linked to travel from Nigeria. Other nations on the UK red list are Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia.

The High Commission had also added that ” these are temporary measures that had been introduced to prevent further Omicron cases from entering the UK and would be examined at a review point on December 20, 2021.” The announcement had led to freeze at the Lagos airport as many  travellers, especially visitors were trying to leave Nigeria before the deadline. Many regular travellers said they could not wait and stay back in Nigeria until when the British authority will review the policy on December 20th, 2021