Emirates Airlines, on Friday returned to Abuja route with 95 passengers and 17 crew members on board its Boeing 777-300 from Dubai after it has closed the route for over a year.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 3:00pm with the usual flight showers to celebrate its return.
The airline had on Nov. 3 announced its decision to reinstate its second daily service to Lagos and resume operations to Abuja with four weekly flights from Dec. 15.
Emirates stated that the reinstated service to Abuja would be served by a 360-seat B777-300 aircraft in a three-class configuration.
The Airport Manager, NAIA, Mr Mahmud Sani, said the reinstated services to Abuja by the Emirates would further boost activities in the airport as well as more revenue to the government.
Sani expressed happiness that the Federal Government was able to encourage the airline to return to the route after it stopped operation for over a year.
He said that scarcity of forex and the bad state of the runway at that time were the main issues that led to the suspension of operation by the airline.
“Emirates has returned with four times frequency in a week and we are happy that the three times that Medview will operate will cover the days that Emirates will not operate.
“With this development, our Dubai bound passengers should be sure of direct flight to and fro and this means more opportunities for passengers and more activities for the airport.
“It is a great pleasure for us to have received the airline today because it is going to have positive effect on our activities in terms of operation and revenue,’’ Sani said.
