The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that it revoked the ministerial approval granted Emirates Airlines by the ministry of aviation due to lack of reciprocity from the Arab country’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as it concerns Air Peace.
Recall that the director general of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu had in a memo with reference number NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/329, dated December 9, 2021 restricted Emirates to one weekly fight to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja only on Thursdays.
In the letter ‘Withdrawal of ministerial approval of emirates airlines winter schedule,’ Nuhu said: “I write to inform you of the withdrawal of the approval granted to Emirates Airlines winter schedule. This approval was conveyed via a letter with reference number FMA/ATMO/501/C.104/XV/356 dated 1st December 2021. The withdrawal becomes effective on Sunday 12th December 2021 at 23002.
“Please kindly note, henceforth Emirates Airlines is granted approval to operate only one weekly passenger frequency to Abuja on Thursdays.”
Speaking in an interview on Friday, Nuhu explained that the action was taken following the refusal of the GCAA to grant equal right to the only Nigerian airline, Air Peace, flying to Dubai via Sharjah.
He said the minister of aviation had granted Emirates Airlines 21 frequencies weekly to two Nigerian airports, Lagos and Abuja.
He said the airline was given 14 weekly flight to Lagos and seven to Abuja.
In spite of such generosity, Nuhu said UAE’s GCAA refused to grant Air Peace three weekly frequencies to Sharjah, which the airline requested for.
Instead, he said the airline was allocated one weekly frequency.
He said the GCAA attributed its refusal to grant the three frequencies to inadequate slots at Sharjah airport.
He stressed that the federal government would continue to protect Nigerians’ businesses.
“The Nigerian government was gracious to grant Emirates Airlines 21 frequencies it requested for. The airline wants to operate 14 weekly flights to Lagos and another seven weekly to Abuja airports.
“However, Air Peace only requested for three weekly flights to Sharjah, not even Dubai airport, but the CAA refused the airline. The CAA only approved one weekly frequency to the airline.
“The only excuse they gave was that they don’t have enough slots. Where is the justice in this? That is capital flight out of Nigeria. Nigeria should protect its own,” he said.
With the withdrawal, which takes effect from December 12, 2021, Emirates will fly into Abuja once weekly on Thursdays, while its Lagos operations are put on hold.
