FG SIGNS LANDMARK AVIATION AGREEMENT WITH CANADA

The Federal Government has entered into a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the Canadian authorities. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the doted lines in the presence of Canadian officials at the headquarters of the ministry in Abuja.  In a statement, Keyamo explained that the agreement is in the form of a code – share, which requires two or more airlines market and sell seats on flights operated by another airline. He said it also allows passengers to travel on flights under a different airline's code, adding that Nigeria would designate airline operators to enhance the agreement.  The Minister said his Canadian counterpart had signed part of the BASA deal back in his home country, which he said was done to save costs. Festus Keyamo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, expressed the hope that the agreement would go a long way to further strengthen the relationship between Canada and Nigeria.  In his response, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, thanked the Nigerian government for the BASA deal, saying it was his pleasure to witness the signing.