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FACE-OFF WITH NIGERIA: UAE Increases Air Peace flight slots

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shifted ground following a tit for tat situation with the Nigerian government over air travel slots allocated to Nigerian airline, Air Peace.

UAE airport authority, General Civil Aviation Authority, had limited Air Peace’s travel slot to one at the country’s Sharjah Airport, but it has now made changes to the instruction that led Nigerian government to reroute Emirates flight to Abuja, from Lagos.

Air Peace has now been awarded seven slots, according to a source quoted by The Nation. The new development was said to have been disclosed in a letter on Monday.

The Federal Government reportedly received the letter, but it was gathered that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not copied – a move that breaches diplomatic protocol.

The content of the letter empowers the Nigerian airline to fly directly to Dubai rather than the Sharjah Airport, “As at 7pm, the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE has written to Air Peace to come and take its slots. Unlike before, the UAE conceded seven slots to the Nigerian carrier.

“In the letter, the UAE said Air Peace can fly directly to Dubai and not Sharjah Airport. This is the latest on the development.

“Even though they did not follow the right diplomatic channel by writing the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs which will in turn inform the Aviation Minister, this is still a positive development”, the source was quoted to have said.

Read also: Airlines feud rages as Air Peace accuses UAE of ‘peddling falsehood’ in letter to Aviation Minister

Claims that the United Arab Emirates had instructed foreign flights from transiting Nigerians into the UAE was also debunked by the source, stating that such direction wasn’t received by the Nigerian government.

The travel ban reportedly placed on Nigerians by UAE authority was described as rumour, “No official communication banning Nigerians from entering Dubai through other carriers. If anybody has such a directive, let him or her produce it. It will be in gross violation of international civil aviation regulations.

“The Federal Government got no such information at the diplomatic or official level. I think with the latest concessions, the UAE was trying to avoid a diplomatic row with Nigeria. We also do not want any row with the UAE.” The source said.

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