Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo announces that Nigeria’s newly negotiated Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the United Arab Emirates gives Nigerian airlines full access to all airports in the UAE. did.
In return, UAE airlines, including Emirates, will enjoy unrestricted access to airports across Nigeria.
According to a report by Channels Television, Keyamo made this known at a press conference following a ceremony to mark Emirates Airline’s return to Nigeria.
Highlighting the importance of the agreement, Keyamo said: “When we went to negotiate the new bilateral services agreement, the first thing we did was to secure a route for local carriers. If you look at the new BASA, it says go anywhere. Our agreement with them is that they will fly to any destination in Nigeria and we will fly to any destination in the UAE. So it’s purely reciprocal in that respect.”
The agreement, once fully operational, will allow Nigerian airlines to fly from Dubai International Airport (DXB), Abu Dhabi International (AUH), Sharjah International (SHJ), Al Maktoum International (DWC) and Ras Al Khaimah. This means you have access to major airports in the UAE, including; International (RKT).
The minister said the landmark agreement would strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector, increase competition, potentially reduce airfares and provide Nigerian passengers with more travel options. He emphasized that.
Further insights
The minister further disclosed that as part of the new BASA agreement, Nigerian airlines have been granted the right of first refusal in potential codeshare agreements with UAE airlines, particularly Emirates Airlines.
This means that Nigerian airlines will be given the first opportunity to join alliances before they are proposed to other airlines.
“We told them that if they want to codeshare, our airline should have the right of first refusal because there will be a lot of codeshare in this regard,” Keyamo explained.
A codeshare is an agreement between two or more airlines to share the same flight, allowing passengers to reserve seats on flights operated by partner airlines using their flight number. This collaboration will increase the number of destinations travelers can reach without requiring airlines to operate additional flights, increasing convenience for travelers.
Keyamo also said that Emirates is already in discussions with several Nigerian airlines to establish these partnerships, which will strengthen the local aviation industry and provide more travel opportunities for Nigerian passengers. It is hoped that options will be provided.
What you need to know
In October 2022, Emirates suspended its flights to Nigeria due to difficulties repatriating trapped funds despite assurances from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A year later, during a diplomatic visit, President Bola Tinubu reached an agreement with the UAE president to lift the visa ban on Nigerians and restart flights.
Emirates has confirmed plans to resume operations by May 2024 and on October 1, 2024.
Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo recently announced that the country has secured reciprocal flight rights for Nigerian airlines to operate in the UAE under the new BASA agreement.
Keyamo also recently revealed during a ceremony to mark the resumption of Emirates Airlines’ flights to Nigeria that visa issues faced by Nigerians with the UAE would soon return to normal.
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