Nigeria lifts brief-lived Emirates flight suspension

By Libby George and Alexis Akwagyiram

© Reuters/Abdel Hadi Ramahi
FILE Photo: Emirates airline sees full fleet returning to the skies this yr

LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigeria has lifted its suspension of Emirates airways flights imposed immediately after the carrier sought extra COVID-19 assessments for travellers from Nigeria, a spokesman for the country’s aviation regulator explained on Friday.

“The suspension has just been lifted, because they have complied with what we want,” claimed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesman in a mobile phone call. He stated further more details would before long be created general public in a statement.

An Emirates spokesperson mentioned the corporation “can validate that we will go on to function expert services to Abuja and Lagos.”

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An aviation ministry spokesman on Monday informed a information meeting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in addition to requiring a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) examination in advance of flying from Nigeria, was including an excess necessity of owning a speedy test four several hours right before departure.

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He explained airlines that insisted on the supplemental test would be suspended until finally an suitable structure was set in position to conduct the next test in 4 hours of departure.

In a letter to the airline’s nation supervisor, dated Feb. 4 and titled “suspension of Emirates airways operations to Nigeria”, the NCAA explained the airline had carried passengers from Nigeria utilizing fast antigen exams “done by laboratories that are neither authorized nor authorized by the ideal regulatory bodies”.

The NCAA, in its letter, stated the conclusion to suspend Emirates was taken due to the fact the airline unsuccessful to heed a ask for to both accept passengers with no the swift test until the appropriate infrastructure was in put or suspend flights to and from Nigeria until that time.

This month, UAE authorities mentioned the airline’s travellers traveling to Dubai from Nigeria would not be permitted entry if they transited via a third country and could only enter on direct flights, according to industry resources and a journey discover on the RwandAir web-site.   

(Reporting by Libby George and Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos. Extra reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Dubai. Producing by Alexis Akwagyiram. Enhancing by Giles Elgood and Mark Potter)