Chinedu Eze

Major Italian flag carrier, Neos Airlines, has commenced direct flight services from Milan to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The airline, which landed on the runway of the Lagos airport at 12:30a.m on Thursday with dignitaries from both countries, promised to entrench safety and punctuality in its operations.

Speaking at the inaugural flight, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expressed delight with the commencement of the flight.

Keyamo who was represented at the event by, a Director in the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Hassan Ejibunu, said that the airline had added to the growing number of foreign carriers that had started flight services to Nigeria in the past 18 months of this administration.

Keyamo said that this would further create employment opportunities for Nigerians, while the sector would also contribute more to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria.

He assured that the Ministry would continue to support all foreign investments in the sector, saying this would have a ripple effect on Nigeria.

He said, “I am happy to say that today is quite significant to me, as this is another record of accomplishment in terms of breaking the barriers being encountered in direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Italy, since the exit of Alitalia Air from Nigeria some years back. The direct flight from Milan in Italy to Lagos, Nigeria, will make connectivity from Nigeria to Italy and beyond very seamless.

“​The commencement of flight operations of NEOS S.P.A Air to Nigeria has an element of history.  It began when the airline was designated by the Italian Aeronautical Authorities on the Nigeria-Italy route. However, a follow-up on the designation was made on its behalf by Messrs Skymaster Achievers International Services Ltd., its local partners in Nigeria, and through the diplomatic support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, in conjunction with the Italian Embassy in Nigeria.”

Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, described the launch of the airline’s direct trip to Nigeria as an, “official re-launch of the Nigeria-Italy Airlinks.

Represented at the occasion by Mr. Alex Kefas, the Director of the European Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Nigeria had great businessmen and women in Italy, stressing that this direct flight would boost import and export to Italy and some other European countries.