The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has revealed that domestic flights have resumed at the local wing of Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.

The Regional Manager, South-South and South-East, FAAN, Abayomi Akinbinu, state this on Saturday at the airport during the arrival of the first flight since March.

The first flight conducted by Air Peace 5N EUV from the Lagos airport arrived Port Harcourt Airport terminal at 7.50 a.m.

Akinbinu while commenting on safety protocols at the airport, said, “To the best of my understanding, I think I’m satisfied with our adherence to safety tips but there could be a few protocols that we need to adjust especially in the area of adherence to the physical distancing rule.

“Our markings of 1.5 metres apart are visibly on the floor, but maybe because of excitement it’s not being properly followed; so we need to make quick enforcement in that regard.”

He remarked that the flight being the first flight after three months, low passenger turnout was expected but a gradual increase should follow in the coming days.

“On the departure section, we are gradually getting more passengers and I believe that going forward passenger turnout is going to increase.

“My message to prospective passengers is that the Port Harcourt International Airport terminal is safe,” he added.

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The Head of Aviation Medical Clinic at the airport, Nuhu Mwabi, also stated that the Port Health Services have been conducting mandatory temperature checks on both service providers and passengers before allowing them into the terminal building.

“This is because we want to fish out persons with a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius and above so that we can isolate such individual.

“Our cardinal objective is to ensure that we contain the spread of COVID-19 as well as other communicable diseases within the airport.

“We have an isolation centre right here for any person with a high temperature to be examined and if need be, we would then call for further assistance from the State Epidemiological unit,” Mwabi said.

(NAN)