United Arab Emirates, UAE, grudgingly welcomes Airpeace Airlines into Dubai International Airport, following Nigeria’s sustained diplomatic pressure.

UAE Aviation authorities yesterday granted Airpeace Airline permission to operate seven slots per week at the Dubai International (DXB).

Airpeace hitherto operated a miserable lone flight which the authorities also banished to the out-of-way Sharjah Airport.

Nigeria has a bilateral air service agreement (BASA) which has permitted 21 weekly flights into Lagos and Abuja by UAE’s Emirates Airlines.

Enugu Metro learnt that UAE Aviation authorities flatly rejected Nigeria’s recent request to raise the Airpeace slots to seven.

Matters became complicated when, in addition, UAE joined other countries to ban flights from Nigeria over Omicron fears.

Nigeria reportedly retaliated by placing a reciprocal ban on flights from UAE and restricting Emirates to a solo flight to Abuja.

Diplomatic experts said these retaliatory measures may have forced the Emirate to rethink its unfriendly disposition towards Nigeria.

On Monday, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority wrote to inform Airpeace that the slots will be available from tomorrow 16 December.

The letter signed by director general Mohammed Ahli effectively douses the diplomatic tension brewing between the two countries.

Nigeria also counted a second diplomatic victory this week, following yesterday’s removal of her “red file” listing by UK authorities.

UAE welcomes Airpeace to Dubai Airport

Author

  • Ogbuagu Bob Anikwe, a veteran journalist and message development specialist, is now a community journalism advocate and publisher of Enugu Metro. Contact him on any of the channels below.

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