Africa's leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it would resume flights to Enugu, South-east Nigeria with three times service and operating the state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The airline disclosed in a statement that the flights would operate on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of every week for now.

Ethiopian Airlines said it chose October 1 because it is Nigeria's independence day; remarking that the flight to Enugu on that day would reinforce Ethiopian Airlines good relationship with Nigeria since its first flight to the country in 1960.

Ethiopian Airlines stopped flights to Enugu in 2019 when the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) closed the airport to rehabilitate the runway.

Before the closure of the airport for runway repairs, Ethiopian was the only international airline operating into Enugu.

The airport was officially re-opened to domestic service in August 2020 and to international flights in August 2021.

Enugu is the capital of Enugu state and was the centre of administration in the former Eastern Nigeria.

Ethiopian Airlines Operates to four Airports in Nigeria, Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Enugu.

It stopped flight service to Enugu when it was closed in 2019 and it diverted flights to the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa until the suspension of international flights to Nigeria due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Aviation stakeholders have commended the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnoli Nnaji for the critical role he played in facilitating the resumption of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Enugu.

The also commended the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and the Director General of NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu.

IATA Announces Speakers, Agenda for World Air transport Summit in Boston

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the program and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which is being held in conjunction with the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Boston, USA, October 3-5, 2021.

"I'm very excited that the World Air Transport Summit will again take place as a live event for the first time since June 2019. Virtual forums are no substitute to the value created when people meet face to face. As we plan for the industry recovery from COVID-19 and address critical climate change issues, the in-person discussions and debates among the industry's top leaders and stakeholders will be particularly significant," said IATA's Director General, Willie Walsh.

Session topics include addressing the challenge of climate change, safely reconnecting the world during COVID-19, diversity and inclusion in aviation, collaborating with value chain partners, and air cargo. The always popular CEO Insight Debate will return, moderated by CNN's Richard Quest, anchor of Quest Means Business.

According to IATA, aviation's response to climate change would top the agenda.

The keynote address would be delivered by Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School, Tufts University and former special representative of the UN Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All. Kyte previously was the World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement.