Emirates Offer Nigerians Free Transit Visas as Airline Struggles with Low Patronage
- Emirates Airlines have unveiled transit visas for Nigerians travelling through the United Arab Emirates
- The airline disclosed in an email that it is giving a 48 or 96-hour UAE visa to passengers buying tickets in November
- The airline has struggled with low passenger bookings since resuming operations in Nigeria on October 1
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
Emirate Airlines, which relaunched its operations in Nigeria one month ago, has introduced free transit visas for Nigerian passengers travelling through Dubai.
In an email to its passengers, the airline said it offered a 48 or 96-hour UAE visa to its passengers buying tickets in November.
Source: Getty Images
Emirates struggles with low passenger bookings
Findings show that those qualified for the visas are only passengers travelling on the Emirates flight from Nigeria.
PAY ATTENTION: Legit.ng Needs Your Help! Take our Survey Now and See Improvements at LEGIT.NG Tomorrow
Travel advisors have called the move a gimmick to get Nigerian passengers back to the airline, which ceased operations in the country for two years.
They say that the airline has not got enough patronage since relaunching operations in Nigeria on October 1.
The airline ceased its operations in Nigeria, citing several issues, including trapped funds belonging to foreign airlines.
BusinessDay reports that the Middle Eastern airline struggled with low passenger bookings as Nigerians found cheaper alternatives.
Experts explain reasons for low passenger bookings
Also, competition from other foreign airlines seems to be snuffing out Emirates' popularity in Nigeria.
Travel experts disclose other reasons for the airline's low patronage, such as the UAE's strict visa requirements imposed on Nigerians and the airline charging dollars for its tickets.
Challenging visa options by UAE
Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigerian passport holder must provide proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000 in their bank account before applying for a UAE visa.
They are also expected to provide round-trip flight tickets and proof of hotel bookings before applying.
According to the report, Nigerian passport holders must obtain a Document Verification Number, which the country must authenticate and verify documentation for visa applications to the Arab country.
UAE's visa types for Nigerians
UAE unveiled different visa types for Nigerians with different fees ranging from N150,000 to N270,000.
Nigerians are expected to pay N150,000 for a 14-day tourist visa, N200,000 for a 30-day tourist visa, and N250,000 for a 60-day tourist visa.
The chief executive officer of Good Winds and Travels, Henry Uche, said that Nigerian travellers to the UAE are experiencing inertia when using the airline due to the various visa restrictions the UAE government has put in place.
“When you consider the options available, it makes no sense to travel to the UAE. The only people you see going there are those with multiple visas on their passports and businesspeople,” he said.
Travel agents react as Emirates Airlines begins booking in dollars
Legit.ng previously reported that the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has criticised Emirates Airlines’ decision to sell tickets to Nigerian travellers in dollars.
The ex-president of NANTA, Susan Akpodoriaye, disclosed her worries regarding the airline’s decision, saying that transactions in Nigeria should be done in the country’s currency.
She said the airline cannot openly tell Nigerians it wants to sell tickets in dollars without authorisation and asked regulators to sanction the airline.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
Source: Legit.ng
