By Kenneth Ehigiator
United Airlines yesterday announced plans to commence flight to Washington DC from Lagos with effect from December 13, 2010.

Consequently, the airline will today start sales of ticket for the flight, billed to take off at 9:30pm on day of commencement of flight.

The coming of United Airlines to Nigeria is a further consummation of the open skies agreement between Nigeria and the United States, with U.S. Delta Airlines and Nigeria’s Arik Air already on the page.

United Airlines’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Smisek, in a statement  yesterday, thanked the Federal Government for making it possible for his airline to come to Nigeria.

“We are grateful to Mrs Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, Nigeria Minister of Aviation, Dr. Harold Demuren, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and their colleagues for their commitment to launching this new service between Washington D.C. and this vibrant Nigerian city.

“This service will facilitate stronger commercial and cultural ties between the United States and Nigeria , while providing new options and convenience for travelers on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The flight, which would be routed through Accra, Ghana, is, according to the airline, conveniently timed to provide connections to and from dozens of points across North America., with nearly 300 daily departures.

The airline said it would deploy Boeing 767 aircraft, with configurations of six First Class seats, 26 Business Class seats and 151 Economy Class seats, for the operations.

Experts see the airline’s foray into the country as propelled by Nigeria’s recent Category 1 certification by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, FAA.

Vanguard learnt yesterday that beyond Delta and United Airlines, several other U.S. carriers are interested in starting flight operations to Nigeria, and this observers see as a manifestation of the confidence the international community now have in the country’s aviation sector.