Saudi Arabian authorities cancel visa of 264 Nigerians passengers

-

 Saudi Arabian  authorities cancel visa of  264 Nigerians  passengers 



Saudi Arabian authorities  have  cancelled the visa of  264 passengers airlifted by Nigeria’s Air Peace on arrival in Jeddah from Kano  insisting that the airline should return  to Nigeria.

Out of the 264 passengers, only 87 were cleared by Saudi Arabian authorities after intense intervention by Nigerian embassy officials. 

The flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos via the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Sunday night and arrived in Saudi Arabia’s major city on Monday  without issues but on landing,  Saudi Arabian  authorities announced that all  passengers' visas were cancelled.

A  source said  all  passengers and the airline personnel were shocked at the cancellation of the visas because during check-  in of the passengers they went through Advanced Passengers Pre - screening System (APPS), which were also monitored by the Saudi Arabian authorities before the flight lef departed  Nigeria.

The source wondered whether what happened was a strategy to discourage the airline from operating to the destination because since it started the operation,  it has been recording high load factors . He said  even the flight expected to leave on Tuesday to Jeddah was already fully booked.

When the Nigerian embassy waded in, Saudi authorities were said to have reduced the number of passengers that would be returned to 177 from 264.

Saudi Air has been operating directly from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia and since Air Peace started flight service to the Middle East nation at relatively lower fares, it has been receiving high patronage and as a Nigerian carrier, it helps to conserve foreign exchange for the country.

A source from the Nigerian embassy in Jeddah said  even the Saudi Immigrations  personnel said they didn't know who cancelled the visas but that they were cancelled when the airline was already airborne to Jeddah.

The source said, “The airline was exonerated in all this as the Advanced Passenger Pre- screening System(APPS) which is live between both countries would have screened out any invalid visa and its passenger. The system accepted all affected passengers and passed them on.”

Those deported were 177 passengers and Air Peace has already left with them back to Nigeria.

“They are on their way to Nigeria now,” the source said.

Industry observers attributed this to aeropolitics, noting that it is a way to force the Nigerian operator out of the route; unless the government intervenes, adopting the principle of reciprocity.

In his reaction to the incident, industry expert and the Chief Executive Officer  of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Nigeria, Group Captain John Ojikutu attributed the action of the Saudis to aero politics and diplomacy and urged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should step in immediately and intervene in the case.

He said  what happened showed why it is important for the Nigerian government to stand strongly with any Nigerian carrier designated to operate international destinations.

Ojikutu said  Nigeria should designate Nigerian airlines approved to operate out of the country as flag carriers, noting that the United States has no national carrier but all the airlines are supported by the government and are designated as flag carriers.

“The action of the Saudi Authorities is shocking. There is aeropolitics there and there is also diplomacy. There is  the need for the Nigerian government to stand firmly with Nigerian carriers and also designate them as flag carriers; so that other countries will know that they represent Nigeria.

“Government must come out and intervene. Government must be behind Air Peace now to ensure that it is not denied its rights as contained in the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must not keep quiet. Nigeria must not keep quiet. Ideally, the government is expected to stand behind any of the country’s airlines that it designates to fly overseas,” Ojikutu said.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NCAA blasts Aviation Elders on spurious claims bordering on Najomo's confirmation

-
Image
    NCAA blasts Aviation Elders on spurious claims bordering on  Najomo's confirmation  The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has  berated the shadow chasing efforts of a so - called industry group :  Aviation Elders (AE) , which has embarked on a sinister move to thwart efforts by the Federal Government to confirm the appointment of Captain Chris Najomo as the substantive  Director General of the apex aviation regulatory body. In a move aimed at mudslinging, Aviation Elders accused  Najomo of handling safety matters with levity. Aviation Elders  accused Najomo of trivializing the sector by allegedly announcing his confirmation by himself in a video when the National Assembly has not done so. Though the NCAA would have ignored the group with its sinister agenda, but is constrained to set the records straight. NCAA's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Achimugu has  countered all the allegations saying the...
Read more

FAAN Managing Director highlights benefits of AMPAP programme

-
Image
  FAAN Managing Director highlights benefits of AMPAP programme  The Managing Dirgector of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku has highlighted the benefits of the Professional Airport Managers Programme (AMPAP), organized by the Airports Council International (ACI) saying the exercise has been worth its while. At the AMPAP Alumni Meet and Greet in Lagos, Mrs Kuku  expressed  profound appreciation for the enlightening experience gained through the program. She emphasized that the value extended beyond the curriculum, highlighting the crucial opportunity to build camaraderie, exchange perspectives, and understand diverse approaches to problem-solving among her colleagues.  Mrs. Kuku noted that the program’s effectiveness stemmed from its practical approach, utilizing real-life case studies to enhance understanding and application in current professional roles. She particularly praised the interactive structure, which encouraged acti...
Read more

Emirates , Air Peace sign interline agreement

-
Image
Emirates , Air Peace sign interline agreement ...To expand travel choices to 13 Nigerian cities  Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has signed an interline agreement with West Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, enhancing connectivity for passengers travelling to and from Nigeria. The partnership expands Emirates’ footprint to 13 new cities in Nigeria with frictionless single-ticket travel and simplified baggage throughput. Travellers booked on flights from Dubai to Lagos can access more of Nigeria, with onward connections to Asaba, Akure, Benin City, Calabar, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna and Owerri. The interline agreement will also benefit corporate travellers, connecting to additional cities in one of Africa’s major economic hubs, including its capital city Abuja, Kano, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Warri, further supporting the strong bilateral trade relationship between Nigeria and the UAE. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer  said, “...
Read more