The planned evacuation of the first batch of stranded Nigerians in the United States earlier slated for Sunday, May 10, has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2020.
The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York announced the changes in a statement issued on behalf of the Nigerian Missions in the U.S.
Also, the flight number was changed from ET 509 announced on Sunday to ET 8509 by the same carrier, Ethiopian Airlines.
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In a notice released on Sunday, the consulate had said that no fewer than 700 Nigerians registered with the missions in the U.S for evacuation, which would be done in batches.
The consulate said that the plane could only accommodate 270 passengers, who would be picked on the first-come-first-served basis.
It noted, however, that the list of evacuees would be prioritised according to their immigration status.
It said:
This includes the need to consider those stranded with proof of short-stay visas, the elderly, families with children and returning students.
The port of departure remains the Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, and departure time, 9.15 p.m.
According to Tuesday’s statement, the plane is expected to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10 at 11:15 a.m.
Those already booked on Ethiopian Airlines ET 509 will now be transferred by the airline to the new flight ET 8509 on Saturday, May 9, 2020.
Meanwhile, the projected cost for the one-way economy ticket is between 1,300 dollars (N488,800) and 1,700 dollars (N639,200) per adult, according to the consulate.
Earlier in April, the Federal Government registered Nigerians abroad who were willing to return to home.
The chairperson of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission’s, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also noted that financial implications will be handled by the concerned nationals.
Most individuals who have indicated interest are those who were on short-term visits to affected countries and became stranded as countries affected by COVID-19 shut their borders.
