Again, Emirates Extends Flight Ban On Nigeria To July 31
It is obvious that ongoing engagements to resolve issues with the Nigerian authorities are yet to yield results as the National carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Dubai-based airline, Emirates again extended the ban on direct flights to and from Nigeria until Saturday, July 31, 2021.
Similarly caught in this web of extending the flights’ suspension with Nigeria is South Africa as contained in a press release published by Emirates on its official website.
Though the UAE authorities have officially denied allegations by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, that it was deliberately targeting Nigerians with the discriminatory flight protocols on COVID-19, no explanation has so far been given by Emirates on the latest development.
However, according to the statement published on Saturday, July 17, the extension of the flights’ embargo on Nigeria is in line with directives of the UAE government restricting entry into their territory of travellers coming from Nigeria and South Africa.
The statement by the Airline said; “Only one daily passenger flight to Johannesburg will operate as EK763; however, outbound passenger services on EK764 remain suspended”, adding that; “Customers who have been to or connected through South Africa or Nigeria in the last 14 days will not be permitted on any Emirates flights bound for Dubai.”
On Monday, July 12, 2021, another extension of the embargo on flights to and from Nigeria until at least July 21 was announced by Emirate, making it the third time that the ban has been extended.
Aside from the reciprocal flights’ embargoes, the current face-off has strained relations between the Nigerian and UAE governments with the latest extension signalling the possibilities that the end may not be in sight soon over the festering misunderstanding involving the two countries.
Unable to resolve their dispute over the use of rapid COVID-19 tests, Emirates, had on Monday, June 21, suspended indefinitely all passenger flights to and from Nigeria.
