The Federal Government said it would carry out a simulation trial of domestic flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Saturday as it prepares to reopen the country’ s airspace to commercial flights .

It also assured Nigerians that airfares would not be outrageously high as speculated by many , based on plans to begin the social distancing rule onboard flights .

This came as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority declared that it would submit the aviation restart plan to the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 on Wednesday .

Speaking at briefing of the PTF in Abuja, the Minister of Aviation , Hadi Sirika, doused concerns about a possible hike in airfares when commercial flights resume .

“ Well , that ( airfare hike ) may not necessarily be the case , because as I speak to you , day in day out, we ’ ve been meeting with stakeholders in the industry to find out how best to open the industry , ” he said .

He added, “ So we are doing everything to ensure that tickets’ prices are not skyrocketed . They may be different but they will not be something that passengers cannot afford . ”

On the preparedness to open the airports for Flights , he said , “ Flight trials will be demonstrated on Saturday in Lagos airport ahead of the resumption of operations. ”

In a similar development , the Director – General , NCAA , Capt . Musa Nuhu , said during a stakeholders’ forum that the aviation sector restart plan would be submitted to the PTF on COVID- 19 on Wednesday , June 24 .

“ We are yet to get there but we are pretty close . The plan is that by Wednesday , we will submit our report to the PTF. I reiterate , we are pretty close , ” he stated .
Nuhu noted that the authority did not need to have all the airlines , airports or the ground handlers ready before it restarts the system .

The NCAA boss also stated that the non – operation of commercial flights had dragged down the authority’ s revenue by 90 to 95 per cent.

He said , “ We are almost ready. Like I said earlier , not all the airlines and airports have to be necessarily ready before the restart. If anything goes wrong , the NCAA will be held responsible.

“ Sometime this week, the proposed restart date will be made known . If the airports get it right , the airlines job will be made easier . The airlines that have disinfected their aircraft should show proof to NCAA. ”

The Chairman , NCAA COVID- 19 Committee , Godwin Balang , said the authority had to develop aviation restart guidelines on uncharted grounds , adding that it issued regulations in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation Standard and Recommended Practices .

Balang said , “ Restart and recovery guidelines are based on 10 key principles which are to protect people in harmonised but flexible measures ; and work as one aviation team and show solidarity . ”

Others, according to him , include to ensure essential connectivity ; manage safety , security and health related risks ; and make aviation public health measures work with aviation safety and security systems; etc.