Mumbai06 Dec 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Lagos
About Lagos
Touted to be one of the most populous city centres of the Sub-Saharan Africa, Lagos, located on the coasts of Nigeria, is a fasting-growing city in the continent. The city's exquisite resorts, cultural museums, nightlife and boutiques make it one of the most sought-after cities in Nigeria. Not to mention how it also stands tall as the financial capital of the metropolis. The port city of Lagos has turned a new leaf and is quite the thriving city with impeccable contribution to the economy of Nigeria.
Best time to visit Lagos
Thanks to Lagos' proximity to the equator, the climate is hot and wet most of the year. The air is always hot and humid, which makes it quite unfavourable for travelling. However, there are some seasons or rather months in the city when the sun and humidity are relatively bearable and ideal for tourism. The peak travel and offseason are perfectly segregated into two halves. The six months from October to April are dry with winters taking over from December to February. The remaining months see wet and humid weather. The beginning of the dry season is called Harmattan in Nigeria. During this season, the weather is extremely tourist-friendly and amiable. The beaches are exceptionally beautiful as the dry season kicks in. December to February easily become the best months to visit the city. However, you should ensure that if you do opt for one of the months from the dry season, you should carry clothes accordingly. The dry season can get a little hot too. Light clothing is the best thing you can opt for when in Lagos. Plus, carrying a bottle of water is also quite essential. More than one, if needed.
Summer and monsoon months are quite unfavourable for travelling. The city is soaked wet with extreme possibilities of floods and other such conundrums. Not to mention how the damp and humid weather only adds to creepy crawlers in the environment. It would be quite risky to travel to the city during the monsoon. The hotel prices are cheap in Lagos during monsoon for this very reason. As it is an offseason, the hotel prices are slashed, and it becomes easier to make reservations. However, it is not advisable to plan a trip around this time just to make some savings in the hotel booking. Instead, opt for one of the dry months which are close to the winter season. The city would be pleasant, and tourist activities would be compelling, without any trouble.
Places to visit in Lagos
Lagos has quite a handful of tourist attractions worth visiting. The Tafawa Balewa Square is one such location that boasts historical significance and plays a memorial to victims of the two world wars. The area also hosts events, concerts and plays the role of a racecourse. You should also visit the Teslim Balogun Stadium, which is the country's national stadium. The place is known for its exceptional sporting facilities and also witnesses some exquisite festivals and events, including football matches, both local and international. The Nigerian National Museum is another attraction that would pique your interest. With archaeological relics from the Nigerian history and ethnographic artworks on display, the place is perfect to learn more about the country's ancient history and culture. Lekki Conservation Centre is acclaimed to be an urban park which boasts lush landscapes, wildlife and a perfect getaway for recreational activities. Lagos' Freedom Park is a place you should definitely visit as it exhibits the creative expression of art and culture of the country.
Things to do in Lagos
To indulge in some more of the vibrant African music culture, you can check out the New Afrikan Shrine. Its compelling and engaging music would have quite an effect on you. Not to mention how the lively atmosphere would be an experience of a lifetime. You can also visit the Jhalobia Recreation Park and Gardens to relish the green expanses and lawns that the park has to offer. It is perfect for photography and picnics. Do not miss out some of their beaches and lagoons that touch the city. With the dry and hot weather, the beaches would be a good escape. La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort would be a nice place to relax and unwind. Hi Impact Planet is also a good place where you can engage in some recreational activities. The amusement park has some fun rides that would elevate your spirits and make you quite happy. To catch some Nigerian movies, you can watch a show at the Silverbird Galleria.
Food and restaurants in Lagos
Lagos is recognised as one of the most populous and culturally eclectic cities in Nigeria. In fact, it is also revered for its cultural stance in the whole of Africa. The city does have a Western air with more emphasis on global music, art and culinary spheres. With such artistic and cultural heritage that Lagos boasts, the food culture is a reflection of the same. You will find not just African and Lagos- specific dishes but an array of fusion food from around the world. Villa Medici is one such place that brims French flavours and adds more panache to it. Some of the highlights that the French cuisine is known for, including frogs' legs and escargot a la bourguignonne, can be found here in this food establishment. Order some fine wine and cocktails to go with the food, and you'll have quite a good time here. Métisse is another recognised restaurant in the city that raves Asian and fusion cuisine. With a nautical decor of the place, the restaurant offers a platter of not just Asian dishes but also Lagos's traditional taste. The place also hosts live music to make the dining experience rich.
While fusion food is something you'll find aplenty in Lagos. However, to get the authentic Nigerian food, you have Terra Kulture, a good establishment predominantly known for its exquisite take on Nigerian cuisine. Indulge in the gastronomical delights of authentic Nigerian food at Terra Kulture. Taste their ofada rice, boiled yam, plantain and catfish. The setting of the place is also quite awesome with Nigerian art exhibited on the walls for customers to relish, aside from their food. The Jazzhole is an interesting and iconic record shop, book shop and a cafe. Basically, it is a quaint cafe nestled in the internal routes of Ikoyi in Lagos. The place is untouched and perfect as it sees less crowd and more peace. Plus, the soothing jazz music with soulful performances goes perfectly well for high tea and books. You can also visit the Eko Sky Restaurant and Lounge to receive the best view of the city and astounding food and drinks. It is away from the city's hustle-bustle and has a very tranquil environment that would go down perfectly well with the food and drinks that they serve.
How to reach Lagos
Flight connectivity to Lagos from India is quite decent. There are no direct flights that connect to Lagos from India, but there are enough connecting flights from Cairo and Addis Ababa. The demand for Lagos from India is not a lot, due to which even the number of flights is limited. However, there are various international routes connected to Lagos which have immaculate connectivity. Airlines such as EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, RwandAir, Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, SpiceJet, Emirates, Lufthansa, Swiss, Etihad Airways, to name a few, have flights flying in and out of Lagos. There are various international routes that connect to Lagos from Middle-East to European to even Atlantic. However, there are countless layovers and long durations that make only a handful ideal to pick from. From India, the most popular routes to Lagos are from Addis Ababa, Dubai, Cairo and Istanbul. These cities have direct flights heading to Lagos and have fewer hours of layovers too. There are flight options connecting from European cities such as Frankfurt and Zurich too. However, these cities have multiple layovers and connecting flights, making it a cumbersome ordeal.
Not to mention how you will require a transit visa to board connecting flights from these cities to Lagos. EgyptAir, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines offer the best ticket prices to Lagos as well as decent flight duration. The approximate flight duration from India to Lagos is 12 hours and fifty minutes. The flight tickets to Lagos are a little expensive. It would cost you just as much to reach a European country as much it would be for a trip to Lagos. The best thing to do to snag inexpensive tickets would be searching for excessive flight deals online to get a good price for a flight ticket to Lagos. There are always countless deals and offers on the web. You could probably use this time to invest in miles or make use of the already-existing miles to fund the trip. While you're booking your flight tickets to Lagos, also opt to make hotel reservations in the city. The prices of hotels in Lagos could also vary depending on which season you pick for your trip. It would be best to look for combo deals online where your flight and hotel reservations are made for a cheap and affordable rate.
About RwandAir
RwandAir Limited or just RwandAir is the national flag carrier of Rwanda. The airline predominantly operates as a domestic route and international route service to Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Its main hub is at Kigali International Airport in Kigali. Following the Rwandan genocide in 1994 which was a mass slaughter of the Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa, the government of the country made several attempts to restore the former national flag carrier, Air Rwanda, operations of which were ceased. As the country was trying to repair itself and return to normalcy following the genocide, the government did its best to attract many companies to revive the airline. A huge number of enterprises and private companies also expressed interest to partner with the Rwanda government. Eventually, Uganda-based SA Alliance Air took up the operations of RwandAir between 1997 and 2000. However, as SA Alliance Air's operations had ceased in 2000, the government of Rwanda once again took over all the operations of the airline, starting from rebranding it to altering its management.
The plan was to ensure that the airline doesn't terminate services. By 2002, the airline was able to commence operations as it followed the new brand name, Rwandair Express. It was established as the national flag carrier of Rwanda and focussed solely on passenger transport. In 2016, after nearly 14 years since its revival, the airline received its International Air Transport Association's Safety Audit for Ground Operations. The airline has had quite a tumultuous journey in surviving in the aviation industry with the constant civil conflicts in the country. By 2009, RwandAir's strategy to expand its regional market and to enhance the domestic routes became their sole focus. They planned to include cities such as Dar-es-Salaam of Tanzania, Nairobi of Kenya and Gisenyi of Western Rwandan province to join the regional network. In the same year, RwandAir registered itself with the new trademark 'RwandAir Ltd' which has since been used as the operating name of the airline. Following the rebranding that took place, the airline dropped RwandAir Express and acquired RwandAir as its new brand name. The main reason behind dropping Express from the airline's name was to add more seriousness to its brand and to acquire itself as a large airline.
By 2010, the airline, under the leadership of Rene Janata, also introduced a frequent flyer programme called Dream Miles. The move was certainly appreciated as it further enhanced the stance that RwandAir aimed to project to the world. After the exit of Rene Janata later the same year, John Mirenge took over the office to become RwandAir's new CEO. Despite being founded in 2002, much of RwandAir's expansions and development took place at the end of the decade. By 2010, the airline managed to acquire its new Boeing 737-500s. Two of the aircraft were delivered to the airline in the same year. The two aircraft have been leased from the General Electric Capital Aviation Services by the airline. The flight boasts a two-class configuration with 12 business class seats and the remaining 90 as economy class seats. In 2011, the airline welcomed its first delivery of aircraft that was purchased by RwandAir. Much of the fleet of RwandAir have either been leased or bought as second-hand with their Boeing 737-800 being the first aircraft purchased by the airline. The Boeing 737 Next Generation became the only aircraft across African carriers to be operated in the continent.
In the same year, the airline also took delivery of its second Boeing 737-800 Next Generation. While it started expanding its fleet by purchasing new and better aircraft models, RwandAir also put its focus on further extending its operations among other African countries. In 2013, the airline announced that they would be commencing international routes to Cape Town, Juba, Accra, Zanzibar and Harare. Much recently, the Middle Eastern airline, Qatar Airways, purchased 49 per cent of shares in RwandAir. This move came right after the airline bought 60 percent of stakes in the Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda. Currently, RwandAir's ownership is divided between the government of Rwanda and Qatar Airways with the former owning 51 percent of shares. The airline has been a loss-making venture for quite a long time now. The government of Rwanda aimed to privatise the airline once it would start showing profits. However, the airline is yet to show profits that would enable more buyers and investors to want to invest in it. So far, Qatar Airways is the only airline to have invested in RwandAir.
Fleet size of RwandAir
Even though it has been a while for RwandAir to be present in the aviation industry or even be part of the country, the operations haven't really kicked off the way one would have expected it to. The fleet size of RwandAir is also considerably small as it has only 13 aircraft. With a slew of African destinations that the airline covers, the fleet is rather small. However, with the involvement of Qatar Airways, it does seem like the airline's operations might pick up after all. In fact, once they can establish a better name, the airline's next focus will be on its fleet expansion. Currently, the fleet consists of one Airbus A330-300, one Airbus A330-200, four Boeing 737-800NG, two Bombardier Q0400 NextGen, two Bombardier CRJ-900 NextGen and two Boeing 737-700NG.
Baggage Allowance
RwandAir's baggage allowance enables passengers to carry 23 kg. While the airline has 23 kg baggage allowance for all the passengers, the only way the rules alter is depending on the cabin class. According to the airline's policy, the economy class and premium economy class passengers are allowed to carry two pieces of checked baggage. Meanwhile, the business class passengers are allowed to carry three pieces of checked baggage. In case the passengers have excess baggage and need extra weight, the airline also has provision to purchase extra baggage. The cabin baggage policy involves passengers carrying 10 kgs. Passengers mustn't carry more than 10 kg weight for their cabin baggage. The dimension of the baggage should also not exceed 55 cm x 38 cm x 20 cm measurement. This is basically the length, width and depth of the baggage. Along with the cabin baggage, the airline also allows passengers to carry an additional accessory bag. The bag could be a laptop, a handbag, a briefcase or even a camera bag. The accessory bag should fit under the front seat.
In-flight services
RwandAir might be a national flag carrier, but the airline has miles to go before they are able to provide passengers with upscale in-flight services. They do have the basic amenities such as reclining seats with legroom, provision for in-flight meals and also spacious overhead bins. Other high-tech equipment to enhance the in-flight services can be received once RwandAir chooses to expand its fleet with newer aircraft.
Popular routes and top cities for RwandAir
RwandAir is known to connect a plethora of domestic route and international route destinations. Despite being a considerably small airline with less presence, RwandAir has been working towards expanding its regional route connectivity. As of 2020, the top destinations for RwandAir include Brussels, Benin, Bujumbura, Douala, Kinshasa, Addis Ababa, Libreville, Accra, Conakry, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Abidjan, Mombasa, Nairobi, Bamako, Abuja, Lagos, Brazzaville, Bugesera, Cyangugu, Kigali, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Juba, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Entebbe, Dubai, London, Lusaka and Harare. The airline also has codeshare agreements with a few airlines. Since RwandAir does not have a very strong presence in the aviation industry, the codeshare agreements are also a few. They include Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Turkish Airlines and Westair Aviation.
Why travel by RwandAir?
RwandAir is easily one of the best options to pick when travelling to African countries. The airline is one of the handful of airlines in the continent to have such a massive domestic route and international route connectivity. Passengers can easily reach East Africa from West Africa on RwandAir as the airline does offer excellent network. While they have been slow with their expansion plans due to several financial constraints, the airline has accommodated some recent technology to enhance the experience of passengers.
On the airline's booking window, travellers can book either one or multiple RwandAir flight ticket/s and receive promotional offers too. On the same page, the airline has also accommodated a web check-in window. Along with this, passengers can also receive updates on flight updates and flight status. Following the booking of the air ticket, RwandAir tends to share the company policy with respect to travelling. They even mention baggage allowance and other such important details along with the ticket. RwandAir is a loss-making venture that is yet to receive some good news in terms of monetary profits. However, despite its position, the airline has ensured to bring forth facilities and equipment that cater to bring comfort and convenience to the passenger. Hence, it is an ideal choice for travellers who wish to explore African terrains. Also, the flights are considerably cheap and affordable.
About Murtala Muhammed Airport
Murtala Muhammed International Airport, also known famously as Lagos Airport, caters to international operations and is situated in Ikeja, Lagos. It is one of the major hubs that serve the airport in the entire state. It was originally built in World War II and has been named after the fourth military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammed, in the 1970s. The most popular destinations that are often opted for from Murtala Muhammed International Airport are cities such as London Heathrow, Abuja, Enugu, Addis Ababa, Port Harcourt, Dubai, Owerri and Accra. The airport has a capacity to accommodate 6,367,478 passengers as of 2017.
About Airport Terminals
The Lagos Airport has two terminals, one dedicated to international operations and the second one for domestic activities. The two terminals use the same runway with respect to flight activities. The domestic terminal was originally the old Ikeja Airport. When the new international terminal opened in 1979, all the flight operations moved to the new terminal. Meanwhile, the old Ikeja Airport was transformed to cater to domestic operations. However, after a fire incident took place in the domestic terminal in 2000, the airport's operations were shifted to the old Lagos domestic terminal while a new terminal was constructed. The new terminal, also known as MMA2, was constructed and eventually commissioned in 2007. The international terminal was designed keeping Amsterdam Airport Schiphol's model in mind. The new terminal caters to Nigeria's biggest airline, Arik Air.
About Airport Authority
Murtala Muhammed International Airport is currently owned and operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. FAAN's headquarters is located in Ikeja, Lagos. Originally established as Nigeria Airports Authority (NAA) in 1976, the airport authority was renamed as Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in 1995 after the Federal Government restructured and reformed the norms of the aviation industry. FAAN has since been working towards an ambitious rehabilitation programme to upscale the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The airport has managed to finish about 90 per cent of the work that they planned. In the recent times, the airport has seen some tremendous changes under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria's management.
Murtala Muhammed International Airport's infrastructure has seen some good developments with the air conditioning improved and luggage belts repaired to perfection. The airport has also been cleaned and sanitized with many recent restaurants and food establishments being installed in the vicinity. Duty-free stores have also been opened with to make the airport fancier. After Bilateral Air Services Agreements were signed between Nigeria and a bunch of countries was revived, many airlines received landing rights again. With airlines such as Emirates, Delta Air Lines, China Southern Airlines and Ocean Air receiving rights and interest to land at Nigeria's Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the country has become easier to reach. In fact, Lagos Airport has become the largest international airport in Nigeria.
Top airlines flying from Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Muhammed International Airport majorly sees a lot of African airlines. However, the airport also accommodates a slew of international airlines in many global cities. The airport also has reserved a space for an Indian airline, Air India. Air India operations from Muhammed International Airport flies to Mumbai and Delhi. In terms of travelling within the continent, Lagos Airport sees a blend of many African airlines. Some of the airlines that operate from Muhammed International Airport include Aero Contractors, Africa World Airlines, Air Peace, Air Senegal, Arik Air, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.
Along with the African airlines operating from Muhammed International Airport, there are also a few international ones. Some of the prominent international airlines operating from Muhammed International Airport are Air France, British Airways, China Southern Airlines, Delta Air Lines, EgyptAir, Emirates, Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Facilities at Murtala Muhammed International Airport
WiFi - Murtala Muhammed International Airport offers free WiFi services that you can avail. All you need to do is visit the information desk of the airport and ask them for instructions. Some of the instructions are also available on various internet kiosks spread across the airport terminals.
ATM and foreign exchange - Currency exchange booths are located at the arrival and departure zones of international terminals. The airport also offers decent exchange rates. In case you haven't had the time to make the exchange during your trip, the airport is the best place to exchange currencies. There are ATMs of local banks also present at the airport. You can withdraw or even transfer money within the premise.
Medical services - Kupa Aerospace Clinic offers medical services at the airport. They have been placed within the premise of the airport to help with emergency cases that might crop up. The clinics are spread out in proper intervals at the domestic and international terminals. Along with clinics, the airport also has pharmacies installed at the terminals with most of the medicinal drugs.
Nursing stations - The airport has installed nursing stations for parents travelling with infants. The rooms are available for mother's to feed their infants and even clean them. There are baby products such as diapers, baby powders and other such essentials. This has been kept in the rooms, in case they run out of supplies.
Special assistance - Facilities to help special cases falling under the restricted mobility category are also available at the airport. For this, you will have to speak to your airlines and inform them that you require special assistance. The airport, with its trained staff, will accommodate the same for you. You can request for wheelchairs and porter services as well.
Restaurants and cafe - Much like all the airports, you can find restaurants and cafes at Lagos Airport as well. There are a few good options for restaurants with global cuisine. The airport has witnessed some massive upgradations and has since accommodated more restaurants and food establishments. They are available at the international and domestic terminals.
Prayer rooms - The airport has prayer rooms at the departure and arrival zones of the terminals. You can spend some time at the airport's multi-faith rooms. You can also meditate in the quiet rooms as a way to calm your nerves, in case flying concerns you.
Conference room - There is one dedicated conference room that is present within the airport premise. In case you need to hold a conference or a business meeting, the location is quite convenient, especially if it is for an international group of delegates. The conference room is well-equipped with modern amenities to cater to the needs of the host. Anything beyond what is available, you can request the same and ask Muhammed International Airport to help you out.
Lounges - Muhammed International Airport has quite a few lounges at the international as well as domestic terminals. At the international terminal, there are airline lounges as well as some by the airport. You can find Air France/KLM Lounge, British Airways Lounge, Premium Lounge, Skyway Premium Lounge, Gabfol Lounge, First Lounge, Oasis Lounge, SDS Lounge Services and SDS Llegada Arrival Lounge. All the lounges are open 24/7 and offer world-class facilities. They have a plush seating arrangement, snacks, liquor, play area for kids, smoking zones, entertainment decks, free WiFi, restaurants and more. Some of them even have sleeping beds and shower services. VIP Lounge and Platinum Membership Lounge are available at the domestic terminal and offer similar services.
Baggage - Baggage services are available but split into the domestic and international terminals. Depending on which terminal you are at, the baggage services would be offered. The international airport provides specific facilities such as baggage wrapping to prevent theft and mishandling, trolleys, porter services to carry the luggage and more. The domestic terminal has comparatively fewer services. However, you can request for specified services to your airlines, and the airport would provide them.
How to reach Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Public transport
There are bus services available that will reach you to Murtala Muhammed International Airport. However, there is no definitive route that would connect you to the airport from the city. From the Ikeja region, there are no specific routes or even fares that would be fixed to reach you anywhere within Lagos. Further on this, it is not safe to take a bus at certain hours during the day and night. You need to be very careful of the fact that some areas are unsafe and shouldn't be travelled by bus. Hence, the best way to reach Murtala Muhammed International Airport would be to take the taxi instead of a bus.
Taxicabs
The trip from the airport to Lagos city could take a lot of time, approximately one to three hours. This is because the routes have terrible roads. Plus, the distance to the city centre is also quite a lot. However, it is safer to reach Murtala Muhammed International Airport from anywhere in the city of Lagos. Again though, avoid taking a taxi in the night as the roads are not safe.
