Ebola virus: Arik Air halts flight operations into Liberia, Sierra Leone

BY Aisosa

Indigenous carrier, Arik Air, yesterday announced the suspension of flight operations into Monrovia in Liberia and Free-Town in Sierra Leone.

It was gathered that the decision described as a very difficult one for the airline, was induced by fears from top government health officials and pressure mounted by other Nigerians on the need to checkmate the usual influx of immigrants coming in via air and land, into Nigeria from the two countries.

This is pending when regulatory authorities are fully equipped to check the health status of such incoming passengers due to the first Ebola virus death officially confirmed in Lagos and involving a Liberian national, who flew on a foreign regional-based airline from Monrovia via Lome (Togo) into the city last week.

Banji Ola, the airline’s spokesperson said: “Arik Air will be suspending operations into Monrovia (Liberia) and Freetown (Sierra Leone) effective July 28, 2014 and the suspension will be in force until further notice.

“We are taking this important step as a concerned corporate organisation bearing the interest of Nigerians at heart and this decision is a pre-cautionary measure aimed at safeguarding the precious lives of Nigerians.”

Ola said the airline acknowledged the steps taken by the Federal Government to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus and as a Nigerian operator that had halted its flight into the two countries, it would also suggest to the Nigerian government that all in-bound flights into the country, which originate from any of the two Ebola-affected countries, be immediately suspended.