Direct U.S.-Nigeria flights to resume after 3 years Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:24am ET Email This Article | Print This Article | Reprints [-] Text [+] By Tume Ahemba LAGOS, July 11 (Reuters) - A U.S.-based airline will start New York-Lagos flights next week, three years after a dispute between Nigeria and the United States halted direct flights between the two countries, an aviation official said on Tuesday. North American, a unit of World Air Holdings Inc. (WLDA.PK: Quote, Profile, Research), has secured a permit to fly direct to Lagos after Nigeria apparently backed down in a dispute with Washington over flagship airline Virgin Nigeria [VA.UL], a diplomatic source said. "I can confirm that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has given North American a technical permit to fly to Nigeria and they will begin operations next week," a spokesman for the authority said. Virgin Nigeria, 49 percent owned by Briton Richard Branson's Virgin Group and 51 percent owned by Nigerian investors, was set up after the liquidation of state-run Nigeria Airways, which used to fly from Lagos to New York and London. Last year, the United States barred Virgin Nigeria from flying to New York citing Branson's interest in the airline. Washington argued it would be unfair to permit a partly British-owned airline to benefit from the U.S.-Nigeria open-skies agreement. Nigeria countered by banning Continental Airlines (CAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) from flying the same route. The Lagos-New York route is very popular and when flights are available they are usually packed. The diplomatic source said the dispute over Virgin Nigeria had still not been resolved. Continued... Roger & Amanda La France