The pilots of the British aircraft impounded by the Federal Government for operating commercial flights in defiance to the travel ban imposed by the country have been quarantined for 14 days.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known on Monday during the daily briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.
The minister also corrected that the company’s name is Flairjet and not Flair Aviation that he announced on Sunday via Twitter.
He said also that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has begun an investigation into the reason why the company was operating commercial flights into the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He said, “There is a company called Flairjet. I want to apologise that I tweeted in the afternoon (on Sunday) when the fasting was biting harder and we verified this as Flair Aviation. The correct name is Flairjet and it is UK registered company.
READ ALSO: FG impounds UK Flight Running Commercial Trips Despite Travel Ban
“They have an aircraft, Legacy 600 and the registration number of the aircraft is GPRFX. That is the aircraft registration number and their business address is Business Aviation Centre, Terminal Road. Birmingham International Airport, West Midlands and their code is B26QN.
“This company applied severally as to operate humanitarian flights and which we did approve. And it is very clear at the beginning of this exercise we defined what those flights should be: essential flights basically – cargo, medical evacuation, medical supplies, and so on and so forth.
“Unfortunately, this company decided to become commercial in their service, charging money and flying people in and out.
“In the first place, the whole essence of a lockdown is to ensure there is no movement of persons freely because this COVID-19 we are all spending sleepless nights for happened because somebody travelled abroad. So, we believe this shouldn’t happen.
“Current status, we are investigating the matter right now, it would finish very soon. The pilots will be subjected to 14 days quarantine at the moment while the investigation goes on and the crew is British nationals. Whatever is there in our laws will be applied to the fullest.”
