Ghana market may add four more carriers by YE19 - CAA boss

More West African airlines return to the skies

Mauritania Airlines (L6, Nouakchott) has resumed international flights following the reopening of the country’s airspace on September 11, 2020, after a month-long closure due to COVID-19.

A statement on the airline’s website confirmed Mauritania Airlines would resume with flights from Nouakchott to Mali, Benin, the Republic of Congo, Guinea, and Gabon according to the following schedule: Twice-weekly services from Nouakchott to Bamako, Cotonou, Pointe Noire, and Brazzaville; twice weekly from Nouakchott to Dakar Blaise Diagne Int'l and Conakry (both from September 11); as well as twice-weekly flights from Nouakchott to Dakar, Bamako, Cotonou, and Libreville from September 17.

Meanwhile, Africa World Airlines (AW, Accra) (AWA) also announced the resumption of its international schedule from Accra to Lagos on September 11 and to Abuja on September 12. This was followed by the resumption of services from Accra to Freetown and Monrovia Roberts on September 13; and Accra to Abidjan from September 15.

Ghana closed its airports in March to...

Nigeria blacklists airlines in diplomatic tit-for-tat

In a tit-for-tat move, Nigeria is denying entry to carriers from countries that have imposed travel restrictions on its citizens.

This is according to a list the West African country’s Federal Ministry of Aviation published ahead of the reopening of its international airspace on September 5, 2020.

Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have been blacklisted because of restrictions imposed on Nigerian tourist visa holders by the European Union. The EU recently moved to make it more difficult for Nigerian nationals to obtain Schengen visas, accusing Nigeria of failing to play its part in the return and readmission of its nationals staying in Europe.

Middle East carrier Etihad Airways has also not been approved. The reason cited being travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians by Abu Dhabi, however the UAE Embassy in Abuja recently denied this, pointing to “growing bilateral relations between the countries”. Meanwhile, Emirates has been given the nod of approval, according to the list.

Initially not approved, RwandAir told ch-aviation the carrier would resume its Nigerian...

More West African countries open to international operations

Global airlines devise, implement relaunch plans 20APR