Nigeria resumes bilateral air links with India Under a new bilateral air service agreement, Nigeria lifted its 18-year ban on Air India’s use of Nigeria’s airspace, Nigerian Aviation Minister Isa Yuguda announced Monday. According to the minister, the Nigerian government lifting of the ban was sequel to the good gesture from New Delhi, which granted Bellview Airlines, a domestic and regional carrier, the rights to fly into Indian airspace. In 1987, the Nigerian government barred Air India from flying into Nigeria for what it said was failure of the airline to abide by the rules and regulation guiding the aviation industry, an offense Aviation Minister Malam Isa Yuguda described as a “security breach.” A fine of $32 million was then imposed on the airline and its inability to pay resulted in its ban from flying into Nigeria. Under the new bilateral agreement, one of the Nigerian domestic and west coast regional carriers, Bellview Airlines, will operate its maiden light from Nigeria to Mumbai, India beginning Monday next week. At the event marking the official hand-over of instrument of pardon to the Indian carrier, Air India, Minister Yuguda said the restoration of air link between Nigeria and India marked a significant development in the long history of cooperation between the two countries. Elated by the development, the aviation minister said the restoration of the air-link between Nigeria and India means the two countries have put behind the unfortunate incident in 1987 and have taken bold steps to resume flight operation between both countries. “Nigeria and India should build on the experience and enter into a new era of cooperation and mutual assistance,” he said. It was at the announcement where the minister formally introduced Bellview’s flight operations to Mumbai, India. By Moses Sawacha ABUJA, Nigeria (eTurboNews)
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 08:46:39 +0000
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