Why UAE Bars Air Peace to Dubai, Stops Flights from Nigeria

Why UAE Bars Air Peace to Dubai, Stops Flights from Nigeria

The United Arab Emirates, UAE Government has stopped Air Peace inbound flights from Nigeria to UAE as part of its COVID-19 measures.

Air Peace in a statement however says, flights bringing Nigerians back from UAE are not affected.

Spokesman for Air Peace Stanley Oliseh says flights from UAE (Sharjah-Dubai) to Lagos are not affected, “Normal flights shall resume when the restriction is lifted from February 28, 2021 for Air Peace.”

“Our esteemed customers whose flights are disrupted by this development can send a mail to us via callcenter@flyairpeace.com for a possible reschedule”, the Air Peace statement reads.

The UAE government on Thursday announced that all passenger services from Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) to Dubai stand suspended until the end of February, 2021.

The UAE airline, Emirates in a statement stated that, in line with government directives, passenger services from Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) to Dubai are temporarily suspended until 28 February 2021.

It adds that Customers from both Abuja and Lagos will not be accepted for travel prior to or including this date.

“Passengers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days are not allowed entry into the UAE (whether terminating in or connecting through Dubai”.

Just on Wednesday, Emirates Airlines which suspended flights to Nigeria over spat between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) occasioned by controversy over Rapid Antigen Testing (RDT) prior to departure of Emirates flights from Nigeria  said it would return to the lucrative Dubai-Nigerian routes February 28, 2021.

This may have put an end to hope by passengers already booked on services by the airline that the spat would be resolved earlier.

Meanwhile, the airline has warned that passengers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days would not be allowed entry into the UAE (whether terminating in or connecting through Dubai).

The airline in a statement said, “In line with government directives, passenger services from Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) to Dubai are temporarily suspended until 28 February 2021. Customers from both Abuja and Lagos will not be accepted for travel prior to or including this date”.

The carrier however regret the inconvenience caused, just as it asked affected passengers to contact their booking agent or Emirates call centre for re-booking.

“Emirates remains committed to Nigeria, and we look forward to resuming passenger services to Dubai for our customers when conditions allow.”

The UAE and Nigeria had squared up over the introduction of Rapid Antigen Testing (RDT) on passengers from Nigeria four hours prior to departure.

THECONSCIENCE

Irked by the action of the airline, the Nigerian government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) slapped the carrier with a ban.

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Less than five hours after the action, the NCAA lifted the ban after extracting commitment and agreement to suspend the action from the carrier.

The NCAA said the carrier’s suspension of Rapid Antigen Testing (RDT) prior to departure of Emirates flights from Nigeria with immediate effect until such a time that the required infrastructure is made available by the Nigerian government.