By our reporter/ Barely 24 hours after announcing resumptions of flights to and from Nigeria, Emirates airlines has once again made a dramatic u-turn as it announced on Wednesday that flights to and from Nigeria will remain suspended until 15 August 2021.
This negates Tuesday’s announcement by the UAE authorities, announcing a lift of the ban on Nigerian effect with effect from Thursday.
In a travel update posted on its website, on Wednesday, Emirates said the suspension is “in line with government directives that restrict the entry of travellers originating from Nigeria into the UAE.”
“Customers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days will not be permitted on any Emirates flights bound for Dubai,” the airline further said.
Alabingo.com had reported that the UAE authorities had said effective 5 August 2021, eligible travellers from Nigeria and 10 other countries will be allowed to travel to/through the UAE.
The countries are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Vietnam, South Africa, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Scheduled flights between Nigeria and the UAE have been stopped following diplomatic row over Covid-19 protocols since March this year.
While the Federal Government stipulates negative PCR test as a requirement for travellers to Dubai, the UAE further imposed rapid antigen test as another condition for visitors to Dubai; the development which the Nigerian government rejected and on the basis of which banned the UAE flag carrier, Emirates, from coming to Nigeria.
On Saturday June 19, Emirates announced resumption of flights by June 23 following the lifting of travel ban on Nigeria and other countries by the Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management which also removed the rapid antigen test and said passengers from Nigeria would only be required to possess negative PCR test.
But 48 hours after the UAE authorities made a u-turn and reinstated the flight ban.
Leave a Reply