Omicron: UK travellers stranded in Lagos and Abuja Airport

Omicron, the new variant of COVID-19 pandemic, is taking its toll on the aviation sector in the country.

Due to the global alert, measures by the United Kingdom, United States and Canada to curtail its spread have drastically affected international flight schedules, thereby creating discomfort for passengers.

Yesterday, many UK- bound passengers were stranded at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Shortly after the flight cancellation, the British High Commission announced its decision to put on hold visitor visa applications from red list countries, including Nigeria.

The commission however, explained that from 4 am today, only British and Irish nationals and residents travelling from Nigeria would be allowed into the country.

The commission also said they must isolate in a government-managed quarantine hotel.

However, the Federal Government expressed displeasure at its red listing by the United Kingdom government.

Canada also introduced new guidelines, including the rejection of results of molecular COVID-19 tests done in Nigeria and nine other African countries.

The U.S. said air passengers boarding a flight from a foreign country to any of its airports must get a COVID-19 viral test, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, no more than one day before travel.

Virgin and British Airways are the biggest airlines carrying passengers on the Nigeria-London route. They carry on daily basis between 250 to 300n passengers daily.

A return ticket on any of the airline costs about N1 million, especially at this period of the year when not a few Nigerians had planned to reunite with their loved ones during the yuletide.

The flight suspension will lead to huge economic loss to the airlines should the restriction is sustained.

Nigeria, which had recorded three Omicron cases as of yesterday, had on Friday unveiled modified travel guidelines. The United Kingdom has recorded   86  cases of the new variant while in the   US, 15 states are said to have also been hit.

Travel chiefs are however, furious over the new restrictions.

Although, British Airways (BA) did not operate its inbound flight from London to Lagos, it announced yesterday the cancellation of flights from Lagos into London Heathrow, citing operational reasons