Second Nigerian flight out of SA expected to take off after landing issue resolved
Air Peace is expected to take off on Wednesday after an overnight delay with an estimated 300 passengers on board.
Nigerian carrier Air Peace has signed a multi-billion dollar deal to buy 10 of Brazilian planemaker Embraer’s E195-E2 jet. AFP/File/CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT
A second flight headed for Lagos, Nigeria, is expected to take off after issues with OR Tambo authorities over the planes landing on Tuesday.
Air Peace flight B777 was unable to land on Tuesday due to issues around a landing permit, however, authorities allowed the plane to land later in the day after the plane was expected to make a return trip to Lagos with a few more Nigerian nationals.
“There was a clearance issue,” Nigerian representative Laren Gingina told The Citizen.
Gingina, who is the Nigerian vice-consul for information culture and media, said the plane was expected to take Nigerian nationals on Tuesday but was delayed due to some issues around the landing permit.
Over 300 nationals are expected to fly out as Gingina confirmed they were boarding the flight around 12pm on Wednesday.
Last week, about 187 Nigerian nationals landed safely at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos at around 9.23pm and were received by the acting director in the Southern African affairs division, Chuks Chikezie Jonathan.
Air Peace Airline CEO chief Allen Onyema welcomed his countrymen on the flight as it was about to take off in what has been dubbed an expatriation flight out of the country.
Nigerian nationals have opted to leave the country due to ongoing attacks against foreign nationals and their businesses. It is expected that around 600 nationals have indicted their will to leave the country, according to the Nigerian ministry.
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