A good old fashioned slot dispute is causing Emirates to cut flights to Lagos…
Continue reading: Nigeria Bans Emirates From Flying To Lagos Over Slot Dispute
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NCAA statements and your analysis are inaccurate.
The reality is that Air Peace is quite welcome to fly their entire entitlement of flights to the UAE but they failed to file for their preferred slot timings at Sharjah airport by the deadline and hence surrendered their historical rights. Sharjah airport is already at nearly 150% terminal capacity at that time of day so simply cannot accommodate an additional 777 worth of passengers.
Air Peace is welcome to fly to another UAE airport that has available slots at their preferred timings (DWC specifically is available at those hours) but they would rather resort to bullying wrapped in nationalism, which someone like Hadi Sirika loves to pander to alas.
@ Sean M. -- Thanks, as always, for the perspective! Post updated to reflect that.
Didn't EK just restart pax flights to Nigeria in the last few days (much to the relief of Nigerians in my understanding)?
DWC airport has been closed since early 2020 without immediate plans to re-open for commercial passenger service in the near future.
Whoever wrote this article is being totally unreasonable and unfairly attacking Nigeria for nothing. You heard from UAE, but what effort did you make to hear from Air Peace? Do you know why Air Peace pulled out of Dubai? Could it be that they were given unreasonable landing conditions? If Dubai main airport is too busy to accommodate one Nigerian Airline, what makes you think Nigerian airports are so empty to accommodate 21 flights from Emirates per week...First time I am reading your post..Will likely be the last....Thanks but no thanks
Yes, they just restarted but no not to the relief of Nigerians...EK isnt doing Nigeria or Nigerians a favour...It is business....For an airline to have 21 landing rights in Nigeria but not able to grant 3 landing rights to Nigerian airline...Yeah right...This isnt 1950 guys...
Well, Nigerian airports are at capacity so wont be able to accommodate 21 EK flights....Hello! what part of this dont you understand?
Your writeup sir is inherently one sided and misleading. I observed that you failed to contact Air Peace or the Nigerian civil aviation authorities for their side of the story. A simple Google search could have prevented this. So here you go.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/500421-uae-official-lied-air-peace-says-as-row-over-flight-slots-deepens.html
Listen to the Nigerian minister's version of this debacle in entirety. The bilateral reciprocity agreement requires for increased slot for Air Peace and without any magic mago. It's about time that Nigeria and it's nation be respected as long as Nigeria equally respects other countries by playing a fair game. The Nigerian government and especially the minister must be applauded. Nigerian wealth and people must be respected HENCEFORTH. The world must watch out, because it's a NEW DAY. Nigeria is coming to it's senses and now realises it's basic obligations to it's citizens despite our past follies to put it lightly.
Nnamdi
Bravo Naigeria,
Am happy to see one African nation taking a reciprocal action. Hope Niageria stands its ground..
Macario.
Brisbane,
Oga, understand first the difference between landing rights and landing slots and who is responsible for each before you come on the internet and embarrass yourself with your ignorance like the minister is doing.
Nigerians should be holding Air Peace to account for not applying for their slots in time rather than dragging the entire nation into a diplomatic wahala.
Interestingly, Air Peace state that
to all intents & purpose,they are the victim of a a smear campaign,& that lies have been told in order to undermine their position.
Rightly or wrongly,alot of Nigerians,feel that Nigerians are pushed around too often,& the banning of Emirates, is a necessary action,to show that they will no longer be any one's floor mat.
Though one would ask why lop-sided Bilateral, Multi Lateral & Open Sky agreements where signed in the first place,by former Aviation Ministers. As Sean M stated,landing rights are not landing slots. Most foreign carriers fly from slot restricted airports,so unless the Nigerian carriers obtain the necessary slots,the landing rights are useless & reciprocity cannot take place.
I noted that the Air Peace statement had to be signed by their only remaining executive who is not currently facing criminal charges and/or extradition. Definitely lends credibility to allegations of a smear campaign there.
Dubai DXB and UAE in general is a very open country when it comes to Aviation and I don’t think Emirates as an aviation giant will really care about Peace air competition btw Dubai - Lagos . Unfortunately the Nigerians who lives in Dubai will be effected by the decision mostly as now they have to fly with Ethiopian or Kenyan airways or Egypt air to reach home
There’s no one from Air Peace to reply, most of the Nigerian executives are being investigated for corruption and fraud. Not at all a surprise.