After halting operations in 2016, United Airlines has announced its plans to return to Nigeria and expand its global route network with a new nonstop service between Lagos, Nigeria and the Washington, starting in late Spring 2021 (late June 2021). Before stopping operations in 2016, the airline was operating flights between Houston and Lagos.
“We are excited to announce our 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,” said Marcel Fuchs, United’s Managing Director International Sales. “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.”
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.
United already provides seasonal, three-times-weekly service between Newark/New York and Cape Town. By adding new daily nonstop flights between Newark/New York and Johannesburg in spring 2021, the airline will operate more flights to South Africa than any other U.S. carrier and will offer the only round trip, nonstop service from the United States to Johannesburg by a U.S carrier. These routes also offer easy connections for customers traveling to South Africa from more than 50 U.S. cities.
On the Lagos route, the airline said: “The new route is subject to government approval and tickets will be available for purchase on united.com 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.”
Source: aviationages.com
