Pearl Ngwama
Ethiopian Airlines last week evacuated 187 Canadians and Resident permit holders from Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The flight was operated on B787 to Addis Ababa for onward transfer to Canada.
According to a statement from the Airline’s office in Nigeria signed by its General Manager, Firihewot Mekonnen, more Canadians will be evacuated as arrangements are ongoing.
“Ethiopian Airlines as an airline is ready to operate any flight as an evacuation when requested by the respective government and agencies. As at now the Airline has already operated such flights and is having an ongoing discussion to evacuate Canadians and Canada resident permit holders from Nigeria,” the statement read in part.
It however, added that Ethiopian Airlines is not yet contracted to evacuate Nigerians from Canada. “That is the responsibility of the Nigerian government and its agencies to choose partners for such evacuation,” it said.
The statement noted that Ethiopian Airlines has been operating regular flights between Addis Ababa and Toronto, Canada for years.
It could be recalled that the federal government’s arrangement to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Canada via Air Peace was botched by the Canadian High Commission on the ground that it had an existing relationship with Ethiopian Airlines.
