Turkish Airlines has announced the resumption of its flight operations in Lagos starting Saturday, May 25.
This follows the suspension of flights due to operational disruptions in Lagos four days prior.
“Due to activities at our counter at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport that compromised our flight safety for four days, we had to cancel our scheduled flights to Lagos as of Tuesday, May 21,” the airline stated.
Prioritizing the safety and security of its passengers and crew, Turkish Airlines will resume flights to Nigeria on Saturday, May 25, continuing its operations that began in 2006.
The airline emphasized that as long as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of flights, crew, personnel, and passengers at the airport, operations will continue as usual.
The decision to resume flights was made after discussions with the NCAA and FAAN. The NCAA and FAAN have issued a joint press release announcing additional security measures to prevent future incidents.
The FAAN General Manager also provided a written statement committing to unprecedented measures for the safety of the airline’s operations.
“We appreciate the assurances provided by the authorities,” the airline stated, highlighting that Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline in the world. “We fully comply with the laws and regulations of the countries we operate in and adhere to international business ethics principles.”
The airline informed relevant authorities that it could not resume scheduled flights until flight safety was guaranteed and requested assurances.
Turkish Airlines also described the picketing of its Lagos office by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) as illegal, which had led to flight cancellations. It noted that the National Industrial Court had issued an injunction on April 30 restraining NUATE and its affiliates from industrial actions disrupting its business.
The NCAA intervened on Thursday, facilitating an amicable resolution and paving the way for the airline to resume full operations, though a definite resumption date was not initially set.
