FG bars Emirates Airlines from operating in Nigeria

 

The Federal Government has barred Emirates Airlines from operating in Nigeria .

According to the Minister of Aviation , Hadi Sirika, the ban will take effect from Monday , September 21, 2020.

The tweet read : “ The PTF sub-committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France /KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines ’ situation was reviewed and they are consequently included in the list of those not approved , with effect from Monday , September 21, 2020. ”

The Federal Government had last month vowed to enforce the principle of reciprocity in granting permission to airlines to resume operations .

Before the resumption of international flights in the country , the Federal Government had announced that Air France , KLM , Etihad , RwandAir , Air Namibia , Royal Air Maroc , Lufthansa, TAAG Angola Airlines were not granted approval to commence flight operations .

Cabo Verde and South African airlines were also denied approval as international flights had yet to resume in their countries .

Middle East Airline , British Airways , Delta, Qatar , Ethiopian Airlines , Emirates Airlines , Air Peace , Virgin Atlantic , Asky Airlines , Africa World Airways , Air Cote D ’ Ivoire , Kenya Airways , EgyptAir , Turkish Airlines were all granted approval to resume operations in Nigeria .

EgyptAir , Virgin Atlantic , Turkish Airlines , Africa World Airways , Kenya Airways , and Middle East Airlines were announced as the airlines permitted to use Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos , while British Airways , Emirates , Ethiopian Airlines , Africa World Airways , and Middle East Airlines were granted approval to use Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport , Abuja .

Sirika said the country would go ahead and implement the principle of reciprocity to all countries that had banned flights from Nigeria .