Aircraft belonging to Flair Air impounded for conducting flight despite coronavirus lockdown ban in Nigeria

The Federal government has impounded an aircraft belonging to a UK-owned aviation company, Flair Air, for violating the flight ban in Nigeria.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announcing this on his Twitter handle on May 17 said the Flair Aviation was operating a commercial flight as against the Humanitarian operation it was given approval to operate in Nigeria.

The Minister said the crew of the flight are currently being interrogated to know their level of culpability as there shall be maximum penalties for the offence.

”COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve” the Minister’s tweet read

The Federal government in March announced a ban on all flights in and out of the country as part of measures to curtail the spread of Coronavirus and the ban was extended by another four weeks on May 6.