By Emmanuel Nduka
After weeks of diplomatic row, the Nigerian Government has restored Emirates Airline’s 21 weekly flights into Nigeria.
Emirates Airline is the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The announcement was contained in a letter signed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, and addressed to the Country Manager of Emirates Airlines.
“Following the further consultations with various stakeholders and the letter from Dubai CAA with reference number DCAA/ASA/N-3/016 dated 17th December 2021 offering Air Peace Airlines daily slots to Dubai airports, I wish to inform you the reinstatement of the ministerial approval of Emirates Airlines Winter Schedule.
“The approval is predicated on compliance with the Dubai Travel Protocol as released by Dubai airports on Friday 26th November 2021 as it affects travellers travelling from Nigeria to UAE,” the letter read.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Government through the NCAA withdrew the 21 weekly flights approved for Emirates and restricted the airline’s flight to one.
According to the NCAA DG, the decision followed the refusal of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to grant the three frequencies requested by Air Peace, the only Nigerian carrier operating to Dubai via Sharjah.
Emirates Airlines then moved to announce on its website that all its flights to Nigeria would be suspended until the issues between UAE and Nigeria are resolved.
Meanwhile, the UAE had also bowed to pressure, granting six slots to Air Peace, to operate at Dubai International Airports.
