BEVERLY HILLS, May 25, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has issued a N1million fine on UK-based airline, Flairjet, for violating COVID-19 commercial flights’ ban regulation.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known saying the fine was the maximum penalty provided for in the country’s civil aviation regulations.

THEWILL recalls that the Federal Government had banned international and local flights in the country as part of the efforts to control the COVID-19 outbreak and only allowed essential and emergency flights to operate in the airports.

According to Sirika, Flairjet had applied and received approval from the ministry of aviation to carry out humanitarian operations but was caught on May 17 operating commercial flight into Nigeria.

The flight crew has also been quarantined for 14 days in line with precautions recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).