Emirates Bookings Begins, Nigerians React as Airline Charges in Dollars
- Nigerian travel agents are reporting slow sales of Emirate Airlines tickets ahead of flight resumptions on October 1, 2024
- The airline opened its ticket inventories in dollars, which travel agents say may be responsible for the slow response
- Another factor agents said may be slowing ticket sales is the UAE’s strict visa rules
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
Nigerian travel agents say Emirates ticket bookings have slowed amid the company’s dollar charges and rigid visa rules by the UAE.
Emirates recently announced that it will resume flight operations in Nigeria on October 1 after two years of suspending services there.
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Agents kick as Emirates Airlines opens tickets in dollar
The company’s fare inventories are priced in dollars but are competitive compared to other airlines.
According to reports, the airline faces the problematic effects of dollar charges and stringent visa regimes.
BusinessDay reports that Susan Akporaiye, former national president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), said bookings are slow due to strict visa rules and the airline's decision to sell tickets in dollars instead of the naira.
She said that when the UAE introduced the visa rule, the country insisted that visa applications be made using Emirates tickets. This decision has now been lifted, allowing people to process their visas using other airlines.
She also stated that another reason for the slow ticket sales may be that the airline has yet to sell flight tickets from Abuja.
UAE sets rigid visa rules for Nigerians
She stated that slow ticket sales may have forced the UAE to ease up on its visa rules by introducing 48, 72 and 96-hour stop-over visas for Nigerians with UK, USA, and Canadian visas.
A Nigerian passport holder is expected to provide proof of six months’ bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000 in their accounts before applying for a UAE visa.
Nigerians with valid US, UK, Canadian and Schengen visas on their passports will have some soft landing.
Also, Nigerian passport holders must provide round-trip flight tickets and proof of hotel bookings before applying for the UAE visa.
Legit.ng earlier reported that one of the country's stringent rules for travellers from Nigeria is that applicants must also obtain a Document Verification Number (DVN), which it says authenticates and verifies documents needed for visa applications.
It also unveiled different Nigerian visa types with fees ranging from N150,000 to N270,000.
Dollar prices impede ticket sales
Reports say Emirates had the largest flight frequency in Nigeria, with 14 weekly flights into Lagos before it suspended its operations two years ago.
Henry Uche, CEO of Good Winds Travels and Tours, disclosed that the airline's opening of ticket sales in dollars would severely impact its operations.
He disclosed that the airline may reconsider its decision and denominate its ticket sales in the local currency.
“Right now, pricing Emirate Airlines tickets in dollars will be counterproductive for the airline.
“Currently, Nigeria is battling acute FX liquidity, and it would be challenging for travellers to source for FX before purchasing its tickets. I am hopeful Emirates will reconsider and denominate its tickets in naira,” he said.
Minister announces date Emirates Airlines will resume flight
Legit.ng earlier reported that after Air Peace crashed its London airfare, British Airways, and others opened cheaper tickets for Nigerians.
Reports that the naira has continued to strengthen against the dollar and that Emirates Airline intends to resume operations in Nigeria suggest that airfares will decrease even further.
Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, declared on Monday, April 8, that Emirates has completed its preparations to operate again in Nigeria before June 2024.
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Source: Legit.ng
