NCAA restores Emirates 21 weekly flight slots, confirms Air Peace 7 slots

The federal government, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has restored the weekly 21 flight slots approved for Emirates airline. The reinstatement came after NCAA confirmed that the Dubai airport authority actually approved 7 flight slot weekly for Nigeria Air Peace airline. The Director General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu in a letter dated yesterday, December 21, 2021and copied  to Nigeria Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, Director General of General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in Dubai, UAE and addressed to the country manager of Emirates airline, stated that the approval was given in the wake of consultations with stakeholders and the letter from Dubai Civil Aviation Authority with reference number DCAA/ASA/N-3.016 dated 17 December, 2021 offering Air Peace airline daily slots at Dubai Airport.

Captain Nuhu said : ”Following further consultations with various stakeholders and the letter from Dubai  Civil Aviation Authority with reference number DCAA/ASA/N-3.016 dated 17 December, 2021 offering Air Peace airline daily slots at Dubai Airport, I wish to inform you of the reinstatement of the ministerial approval of Emirates Airline Winter schedule. This approval is predicated on the compliance with the Dubai Travel Protocol  as released by Dubai airport on Friday 26 November, 2021 as it affects passengers travelling from Nigeria to UAE. Please be guided accordingly”,  the letter added. 

UAE authority last week sent a letter to Nigeria Air Peace airline  granting them permission and 7 slots into the Dubai airport after refusing the airline the initial 3 slots into Sharjah it requested for. The NCAA had hinted that the Ministry of foreign affairs was in the process of verifying the letter sent to Air Peace before any action could be taken about resumption of flights between the two countries . It had also promised that once confirmation is done, Nigeria will reach a decision on flight resumption. Flights between Nigeria and Dubai had been suspended since March following Dubai discriminatory covid-19 protocol.