Thursday June 4, 2020
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Somalia will resume local flights next week, Transport ministry has said over a month since they were grounded in response to COVID-19 spread.
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Omar said during a meeting in Mogadishu Thursday plans had been finalized to open the airspace for local flights after they were suspended on April 28.
The Minister did not however specify the date but noted the ministry had reached an agreement with industry stakeholders to resume the flights.
According to the Minister, five airlines have been cleared to resume business but all passengers will be subjected to screening outside and within the airport.
There was not word yet on when the country will allow international flights to resume with fears of further imports of the global pandemic.
Somalia has as of June 3 recorded 2,146 COVID-19 cases and 79 fatalities while a further 406 people have since recovered from the disease.