American carrier, United Airlines, is set to return to Lagos’ runways, after a it voluntarily left the country four years ago.
The carrier, Wednesday, said the high traffic route was part of its network expansion, with direct flights between Nigeria and the United States beginning from June 2021.
The commercial carrier was operating Lagos to Houston prior to the 2016 economic depression amid foreign airlines’ N120 billion stuck in Nigeria.
United’s Managing Director International Sales, Marcel Fuchs, said they were excited to announce a return to Nigeria.
“This new nonstop service will strengthen our international route network, and provide our customers from Nigeria with direct access to the United States and the possibility to connect via our Washington Dulles hub to destinations across the Americas.
“Connecting Lagos to the U.S. will open up new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers and help our customers in Nigeria reconnect with friends and family around the world,” Fuchs said.
United will become the only U.S. carrier serving Accra nonstop from Washington, D.C., and the only airline to serve Lagos nonstop from Washington, D.C., with three weekly flights to each destination beginning in late spring 2021.
The Washington metropolitan area has the second-largest population of Ghanaians in the United States, and Lagos is the largest Western African destination from the United States. Now, with 65 different U.S. cities connecting through Washington Dulles, United will offer convenient one-stop connections to Western Africa.
On the Lagos route, the airline said: “The new route is subject to government approval and tickets will be available for purchase on its official website, and the United app in the coming weeks.
“United’s new service from Lagos to Washington Dulles will be operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. The revolutionary design of the Dreamliner offers customers many features for increased comfort such as large windows, spacious overhead storage and modern LED lighting to simulate a full day, helping passengers adjust their internal clock on the trans-Atlantic flight. In addition, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and smoother ride help customers feel rested on arrival.”
