By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Nigerian passengers who have been denied flights to and from United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of the misunderstanding between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates (UAE) over airports Covid-19 protocols may heave a sigh of relief as the two countries have resolved their diplomatic row.
This is even as the UAE flagship carrier, Emirates Airline will resume its regular Lagos and Abuja to Dubai non-stop flights on Saturday after the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has officially written to UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to inform it that the Nigeria authorities have accepted the “Safety Decision Issue 24 after a review by relevant parties”.
In a letter written by NCAA Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu to his counterpart in UAE, His Excellency Saif Muhammed Al Suwsaid dated February 1, 2022 which was obtained by Prompt News on Tuesday night, NCAA stated that Emirates Airline can resume flight operation in Nigeria at its convenience.
Also, NCAA boss stated in the letter titled: “Operations of Flights-UAE/Nigeria VV-Covid-19 Safety Decision Issue 24”, that Nigerian Operator, Air Peace Airlines have submitted its request to UAE Authorities for the resumption of scheduled passenger flights between the two countries effective March 1, 2022.
For over nine months now Nigeria and UAE have been at loggerheads over Covid-19 protocols at the airports in Nigeria and UAE. The subjection of Nigerians to extra testing in Dubai did not go down well by Nigerian authorities hence the banning of Emirates Airline operation in Nigeria.
Both nations were to apply the law of reciprocity with Nigeria passengers bearing the brunt of the diplomatic row as the ban on Emirates Airline by Nigerian and Air Peace Airlines by UAE authorities affected hapless Nigeria passengers adversely.
