United Arab Emirates (UAE) which earlier on Monday gave directive to airlines that operate to Dubai from Nigeria not to bring Nigerian passengers to the Middle East country later reversed itself, attributing the reason for the initial ban to 36 travellers from the West African nation that tested positive to COVID-19 virus.
Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the Nigerian international airports when they were told by the airlines billed to airlift them that they would not travel to Dubai due to directed from UAE.
Although this was attributed to the diplomatic impasse between Nigeria and UAE, but the Arab nation said it took the decision because more Nigerians were testing positive to COVID-19.
THISDAY learnt that airlines started rejecting Nigerian passengers going to Dubai, including Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Air and others, which airlift Nigerian via their operational hubs to Dubai.
An official of one of the airlines told THISDAY that the airline would not airlift Nigerians whose final destination was the UAE.
The airlines, it was gathered, insisted that they have been directed not to airlift Nigerian passport holders to Dubai.
”UAE says no entry for Nigerian passengers from any airline. Ethiopian just offloaded all passengers heading to Dubai. We are voiding Dubai bound tickets,” a source at Abuja airport confirmed.
A directive from one of the airlines stated, “Due to an increasing number of COVID-19 positive passengers at destination, it is decided to suspend accepting passengers to UAE from Nigeria, Congo DRC (FIH) only. This is effective today, 13th December, 2021.”
A source close to Ethiopian Airlines confirmed to THISDAY, “Today they have to offload Dubai passengers. So no airline wants to carry Nigerian passengers to Dubai. They said Nigerians are testing positive to COVID-19; that is why some airlines are not carrying them. It is just like they did the last time.”
But by rescinding its earlier directive, there are indications that Nigeria and UAE might be on the way to resolving their issues relating to air travel between the two countries.
Federal Government last Thursday stopped Emirates 20 frequencies a week and left the airline with only one flight to Abuja in response to UAE allocating only one flight a week to Air Peace, a Nigerian carrier.
