This disclosure was made in a letter signed by the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr Musa Nuhu and addressed to Emirates Airline.
In the letter, Nuhu said the decision to reinstate Emirates’ flight operation is reciprocal as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had also granted Nigerian airline–Air Peace an increased flight slots.
Nuhu stated that “following the further consultations with various stakeholders and the letter from Dubai CAA with reference number DCAA/ASA/N-3/016 dated 17th December, 2021 offering Air Peace Airlines daily slots to Dubai airports, I wish to inform you the re-instatement of the ministerial approval of Emirates Airlines Winter Schedule.”
Recall that there has been a stalemate between Nigeria and UAE over some aviation processes.
The FG through Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had restricted Emirates to just one weekly flight to Abuja as a reciprocal action over the treatment of Air Peace.
The UAE had initially conceded three flight slots to Air Peace, with the Nigerian carrier restricted to only operate in Sharjah Airport, the country’s second busiest airport.
However, after series of battle between the two countries, UAE granted Air Peace seven flight slots to operate in the country, as well as granting the Nigerian carrier permission to fly directly to the Dubai International Airport.
