This is coming 24 hours before it resumed flight operations
for the route after a series of halts.
In a travel update posted on its website, Emirates said the
suspension is "in line with government directives that restrict the entry
of travellers originating from Nigeria into the UAE."
"Customers who have been to or connected through
Nigeria in the last 14 days will not be permitted on any Emirates flights bound
for Dubai," the airline further said.
Earlier report indicated that the UAE authorities had said
effective 5 August 2021, eligible travellers from Nigeria and 10 other
countries will be allowed to travel to/through the UAE.
Since March, scheduled flights between Nigeria and the UAE
have been stopped following a diplomatic row over COVID-19 protocols.
On Saturday, June 19, Emirates announced the resumption of
flights by June 23 following the lifting of the travel ban on Nigeria and other
countries by Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management which
also removed the rapid antigen test and said passengers from Nigeria would only
be required to possess a negative PCR test.
But 48 hours after the UAE authorities reinstated the flight
ban.
In response to the allegation by the federal government that
the UAE protocols were discriminatory against Nigeria, the UAE General Civil
Aviation Authority (GCAA) denied targeting Nigeria or any particular airline in
the measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it was
committed to upholding the highest standards of public health and safety.
Following Tuesday's announcement by Emirates, travel agents
have vowed to stay action on Dubai tickets until they get clear communication
from the airline.
President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel
Agencies (NANTA), Mrs Susan Akporiaye in a chat with Daily Trust said, "We
are waiting for further directive because we are tired of all this. This has
happened over and over again.
"So we have decided, going forward, until we get a
communication from the airline, we will not take any further action."
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