UAE bows to pressure, gives Air Peace 7 slots at its airports

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has granted Air Peace seven slots at Dubai Airport, after the back and forth between Nigeria and the Middle East country.

This is coming days after the Federal Government slammed restrictions on Emirates Airlines, the flag carrier of UAE, in retaliation of the denial of the three slots requested for by Air Peace in Sharjah Airport.

The development has generated tension between both countries.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, had last Thursday announced the withdrawal of the winter schedule comprising 21 frequencies; 14 in Lagos and seven in Abuja, earlier approved for Emirates.

The airline was left with a weekly flight to Abuja but rather than accept the condition, Emirates suspended its operations to Nigeria indefinitely.

The DG had defended Nigeria’s action, saying it was a reciprocal decision by the Federal Government over the denial of the requested slots by Air Peace, the sole Nigerian carrier operating to Dubai via Sharjah.

Just hours after the Emirates ban took effect, the Dubai CAA has written to the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, saying seven slots had been granted to Air Peace to operate to Dubai Airport.

In a letter dated December 13, Director General of the DCAA, Mohammed A. Ahli, said the Dubai Airports Authorities had confirmed and blocked seven slots for Air Peace.

The letter read: “The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority presents the compliments to the Honourable Management of Air Peace Nigeria. Your Excellency, relations between our two countries go a long way back and we value these relations between our two brotherly countries.

“We write in reference to Air Peace’s possible/intended operations to/from Dubai Airports (DXB), we have received information from Dubai Authority, with regard to slot availability at DXB – Terminal 1 and as a gesture of goodwill and a support of UAE and Nigeria relations, I case Air Peace wish to start flights, slots have been blocked by Dubai Airports as detailed below.

“Slots available and blocked for Air Peace are the following: All days. As these slots cannot be blocked indefinitely, we would highly appreciate if Air Peace could kindly reach out to Dubai Airports and inform them of their intentions to operate by Thursday 16th December 2021 and accordingly confirm the blocked slots.

“Dubai Airports have also confirmed that dnata-the ground handling agents at DXB have sent the ground handling quotation to Ms. Reham Mustafa- Country Manager and also, Emirates flight catering is working on the quotation and should send it out latest by tomorrow morning.

“For landing permission, they could contact our Air Transport section as detailed below.

“We look forward for Air Peace to operate with utmost confidence to/from DXB at the soonest. Dubai Civil Aviation Authority avails itself the opportunity to renew to the Honorable management of Air Peace the assurances of its highest consideration and reiterates its support at all times,” the letter read.

(Daily Trust)