President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Yinka Folami, has commended Emirates Airlines for its successful operations to Nigeria since it resumed flight from Dubai to Lagos last year.
Folami who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Travel and Logistics Centre Limited, said that for Emirates to take advantage of the increasing number of Nigerians that would want to fly with the airline, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should be more flexible with its visa conditions so that more Nigerians can fly with the airline to Dubai and other parts of the world.
“Emirates has always been an airline that is high on service. Emirates has always been an airline that is high on customer service, it has always been an airline that is loved by Nigerians, particularly those who travel to Dubai, which is also loved by Nigerians.
“Unfortunately, there is a visa regime now which is a bit restrictive, but on the pattern of demand, you know that Nigerians like to visit Dubai. So, Emirates’ successful re-entry into the market is not a surprise. Because it is an airline that has always been loved by Nigerians, and has always been high on customer service,” he said.
The NANTA President explained that there are Nigerians whose reputation is not in doubt, who have visas from well-known countries and who have good record in the many years they have travelled and therefore urged UAE authorities to consider relaxing the visa conditions to recognise these kinds of applicants and not to subject everyone to the current stringent conditions.
However, Folami admitted that UAE is becoming more flexible with the visa regime.
“I will join my voice to the voice of other Nigerians that are saying that Emirates should lessen the visa restriction extended to Nigerians. Particularly, for some passengers that have visas of UK, US, Canada, Schengen. These are not a people that can constitute a threat; they are not going to be a migration threat in Dubai or in the Emirates. So, that category of passengers should be taken out of the pull, so that there is no pressure or difficulty in their getting visa.
“Someone with a visa to the UK is not a migration threat in Dubai. It is not likely to be a migration threat to Dubai. We have given this advice to a country’s airline before, and we had the opportunity of meeting their commercial attorney. After a presentation with them, after about 2-3 months, they adopted our recommendation and they started allowing visa on arrival for some category of Nigerian passengers that have UK, US, Canada or Schengen visa. I think that the decision about visa is usually a country’s and government’s decision and there are reasons that would inform their decision. So, a lot of times, I usually don’t like to comment about whatever position the country takes over their visa regime. But from the practitioner’s point of view, I can safely say that a passenger with the type of visa that I mentioned is not a migration threat,” Folami said.
The NANTA President reiterated his commendation for Emirates, saying the airline has a reputation for high standard customer service and gave kudos to the Emirates team in Nigeria for their efficiency and professionalism.
“I have to give it to the Emirates team in Nigeria. They are people that I call A-list professionals. They are professional people, right from the country manager to the operations and sales executive. They are very professional people.
They show good understanding of the market and they show good compassion, for stakeholders and trade partners. So, I can tell you that on my relationships and interfaces with them, even as NANTA President. And as a travel practitioner myself, and as an IATA accredited travel practitioner, I can tell you that, yes.
THISDAY
