Return Of Emirates Airlines Will Boost Competitive Pricing – Keyamo
Keyamo announced that he received a letter from the airline confirming that all the issues had been resolved and that they were prepared to resume flights
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Wednesday, stated that the return of Emirates Airlines to Nigeria after two years will lead to healthy competitive pricing for the benefit of Nigerians.
He made these remarks in Lagos upon arriving aboard an Emirates aircraft from the United Arab Emirates. Keyamo also mentioned that the airline had returned to stay and that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement discussed was aimed at securing the route for local operators.
“We signed a new BASA defining our relationship altogether, again making it healthier, more open, and for the benefit of the Nigerian people,” Keyamo said.
“With this, we have more competition on different international routes now. That is what it’s all about to ensure healthy competition. A healthy competition leads to competitive pricing for the benefit of the Nigerian people.”
The minister explained that local carriers now have the opportunity to fly to any destination in the UAE.
“It was especially damaging because we know that Nigerians have a lot of investments in the UAE. They have many interests and investments there, so eventually, it was not an adventure in self-glorification; it was a fight for the people of Nigeria, especially.
“But you also know that the reason we fought for this is that Dubai, in particular, is a major hub of the world; it links virtually every country,” he added.
Emirates Airlines suspended flight operations to Nigeria in November 2022 due to its inability to repatriate its $85 million revenue trapped in the country.
In April, Keyamo announced that he received a letter from the airline confirming that all the issues had been resolved and that they were prepared to resume flights.
To resolve the issue, both Nigeria and the UAE agreed on reciprocal rights on September 27, ahead of the resumption of Emirates Airlines’ flight operations to Nigeria. ...Continue Reading
