Emirates Airlines yesterday suspended its flights to Nigeria following the federal government’s reduction of its 21 weekly flight frequencies to one.
The airline announced on its website it would suspend its flights to Nigeria from December 13, 2021 until the two countries reach an amicable resolution on the matter.
“With the recently imposed directive limiting Emirates to operate one flight per week to Nigeria via Abuja, Emirates will be suspending its flights between Nigeria and Dubai from 13 December 2021, until the UAE and Nigerian authorities work on a solution to the ongoing issue.
“The last flights to operate on 12 December 2021 are EK 783/784 to/from Lagos and EK 785/786 to/from Abuja.
“Customers holding tickets with the final destinations Lagos and Abuja will not be accepted at the point of origin,” it stated.
The airline advised the affected customers not need to call Emirates immediately for rebooking, adding that customers can simply hold on to their Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with their travel agent or booking office to make new travel plans.
The airline’s management regretted what the development would cause its customers in Nigeria.
“Emirates is committed to its operations in Nigeria, and we stand ready to reinstate services once restrictions are lifted by the Nigerian authorities, ensuring travellers have more choice and access to trade and tourism opportunities in Dubai, and beyond to our network of over 120 destinations,” it added.
Recall that the federal government had, through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) limited Emirates Airlines’ flight to just one after the refusal of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority to grant a Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, three frequencies to Sharjah Airport.
Prior to the development, the Nigerian authorities had granted Emirates Airlines 21 weekly flights to the Lagos and Abuja airports.
But what stirred up the controversy was the refusal of the authorities in the UAE to grant Nigeria’s only carrier, Air Peace, equal right to fly to Dubai via Sharjah.
In an interview in Lagos, the director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Musa Nuhu said: “Following the lifting of ban on Emirates passenger flights to Nigeria by the government, the UAE based airline applied to the Federal Ministry of Aviation for approval for Winter Flight schedule. The request schedule consisted of twenty-one (21) weekly passenger flight frequencies to Nigeria comprising of two daily flights to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and one daily flight to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA).
“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 excused 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.”
