Diplomatic Row: UAE backs down, allows airlines to fly in Nigerian passengers

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has backed down on its move to restrict other foreign airlines from bringing Nigerians to the country.

In the wake of the diplomatic standoff between the two countries over a recent ban of Emirates flights, UAE had reportedly barred other airlines from flying Nigerian travellers.

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Daily Trust learnt that over 90 passengers of Ethiopian Airlines were affected on Monday as they were de-boarded on the orders of the UAE authorities.

Our correspondent learnt that the order was issued to Ethiopian Airlines with the UAE attributing the move to the rise in Omicron covid-19 variant.

In a travel update sent to Ethiopian Airlines, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, the UAE reportedly banned passengers from Nigeria and DR Congo.

The update with reference No. PSA 12/068/2021 titled, “Dubai Travel Restriction Update,” read, “Due to an increasing number of COVID Positive passengers at destination, it is decided to suspend accepting passengers to U.A.E from Nigeria Congo DRC (FIH) only.

“This is effective today 13th  December,2021. Please ensure 100%  compliance.”

It was on the basis of this move that Ethiopian Airlines barred some Nigerians connecting Dubai via Addis Ababa.

President of the Nigerian Association of Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye in a chat with Daily Trust confirmed that some Dubai-bound passengers on Ethiopian Airlines were turned back while other airlines flew to Dubai with Nigerian passengers.

She said, “Maybe it is only the Ethiopian Airline that was affected, we don’t know yet. We are waiting to see, because immediately I heard about what is happening, I reached out to other airlines and they said they didn’t get any notice and that their flights flew. They promised to get back to me if anything changes.

“As of this morning, Ethiopian airlines got their own notice, we don’t know exactly what is going on but they promised to send me a notice so we will wait till tomorrow. If by tomorrow those airlines still flew then that means it is a problem with only Ethiopian Airlines.”

But it was learnt that the order only affected Ethiopian Airlines as the same communication was not received by other airlines.

When contacted on Tuesday, the NANTA President said what happened “was a stop order on just Ethiopia Airlines entering Dubai,” adding, “So Ethiopia Airlines had to go into negotiations with UAE which was now resolved.”