Emirates Airlines Reportedly Considering Leaving Nigeria Again, Reasons Emerge

• Emirates Airlines is reportedly reconsidering its decision to fly the Lagos-Dubai route due to passenger drought
• The airline recently resumed flight operations in Nigeria after a two-year suspension due to withheld forex backlog
• However, the airline is reportedly flying mostly half-empty on the Lagos to Dubai route due to tough visa policies by the UAE government

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.

Emirates Airlines is reportedly considering withdrawing its services from the Lagos-Dubai route as it flies empty most times.

Reports say the United Arab Emirates airline is affected by UAE’s visa policies on Nigeria, which have affected its operations.

Emirates may withdraw from Nigeria again

Some months ago, the Nigerian government reached a diplomatic agreement with the UAE government, allowing the Emirates Airline to resume flight operations in Nigeria.

However, when the airline resumed operations, it was met with empty seats.

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Analysts say many Nigerians who used to fly Emirates flights were still struggling to secure visas to the UAE. 

Recall that shortly after the Emirates flight resumption in Nigeria, the UAE government announced a new visa policy, imposing tough conditions on Nigerian passport holders.

The development came barely 24 hours after the country lifted the two-year visa ban imposed on Nigerians.

UAE imposes tough visa conditions on Nigerians

The country demanded that applicants for its visa pay N640,000 as non-refundable application fees for visas by Nigerians.

According to reports before the visa ban on Nigerian passport holders, the visa fee was about $100, about N155,500. 

According to reports, the country also imposed a new visa requirement on Nigerians wishing to visit, saying applicants must obtain a Document Verification Number (DVN) before applying for a visa. 

The new fee does not guarantee a visa to the country, as the DVN is valid for 14 days or immediately after the visa application has been processed. 

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Tough visa policies are affecting the Emirates

Analysts say the visa restrictions have shut out several Nigerian travellers, leading to planes leaving Dubai without enough Nigerian passengers relative to when Emirates flights were overbooked.

The CEO of Goodwinds Travel and Tours, and travel consultant, Henry Eyo, revealed that the Emirates misjudged the demand on the route, stating that the new visa policy by the UAE government negatively affected travellers from Nigeria.

“What is happening to Emirates is the bad policy of its government against Nigerian passport holders. The new visa conditions imposed on travellers from Nigeria are affecting the airline’s revenue from Nigeria.

“I will not be surprised if the airline withdraws its services again due to passenger scarcity,” he said.

Air Peace seeks to begin Dubai flights

Other experts say that Emirates may also be facing stiff competition from Nigeria’s Air Peace, which fought to expand its presence on the Lagos-Dubai route, and with a new agreement, the Nigerian carrier may begin flying to UAE with more passengers than Emirates.

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They disclosed that Air Peace could gain a foothold, providing Nigerians with an alternative that does not need jumping visas.

ThisDay reports that Emirates may make trickier negotiations with Nigeria as it continues to fly empty seats.

Travel expert recommends alternatives amid Dubai visa issues

Julius Joshua, a travel consultant with DL Travels and Tours Services LTD, has advised Nigerian travelers to consider alternative routes and adjoining visas due to challenges surrounding direct flights and visa approvals for Dubai.

"Direct flights to Dubai are a bit wobbly. There's a lot of challenges around that flight for now," he told Legit.ng.

Joshua suggested that travelers explore alternative entry options through other destinations.

"What I recommend for my clients is to use an adjoining flight. For instance, if you're going to Qatar, you're allowed to stay in Dubai for some days. You can get a visa to Mauritius, then try to stay in Dubai," he explained.

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The expert, however, emphasised that securing a direct visa to Dubai remains difficult at the moment.

UAE lifts visa ban on Nigeria

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Government has secured an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allowing Nigerian passport holders to get visas to travel to the country, starting July 15, 2024.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on his X handle on Monday, July 15, 2024.

According to the minister, travel would resume after successful and extensive negotiations between the Arab country and Nigeria, which resulted in updated controls and conditions for obtaining the country’s visa.

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a travel consultant for this report.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng