NANTA raises alarm on Dubai Airport requirements for Covid-19 protocols * We are calling on Aviation Minister to intervene – Says Susan Akporiaye

NANTA raises alarm on Dubai Airport requirements for Covid-19 protocols

* We are calling on Aviation Minister to intervene – Says Susan Akporiaye

( By Udeme Clement ):

The President, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs Susan Akporiaye, is disturbed by the latest covid-19 protocols from Dubai Airport Authority, requesting Nigerian passengers to undergo a rapid response covid-19 antigen test before departure to Dubai.

She also expressed shock at the insistence that Nigerians bound to Dubai must fly only Emirates airlines, foreclosing and boxing out transit routes opportunities into Dubai from other carriers.

” We are studying the situation and consulting widely, as the new travel restrictions may put additional financial pressures on Nigerian passengers and also create a monopolistic hold on the route.

“Indeed, we don’t know what is going on in the minds of people from other countries and their Airlines, a situation that may trigger off retaliatory actions”, NANTA President explained.

She stated, “the Dubai Airport Authority should have shown its open hands in effort to check the covid-19 pandemic, by requesting other carriers and their home governments to set up rapid response antigen test at their various Airports to enable passengers on transit to undergo tests before flying to Dubai.

“We at NANTA believe that such gestures and arrangements will enhance credibility of additional covid- 19 protocols when going to Dubai and also encourage others in travel business to recover and contribute to building a global coalition against the impact of covid.”

She explained, “Though the industry is polarised by Dubai initiative, including the ban of transit passengers from other Airlines to Dubai, the fear of under hand competition targeting other carriers by Emirates is gaining ground and causing pallable apprehension among travel trade operators and Nigerian travel community.”

“We are worried and calling on the Minister of Aviation to intervene. We appreciate the efforts of governments and Airlines to help secure the lives of passengers to protect their citizens, which NANTA supports in all ramifications.

“However, these additional requirements from Dubai Airport Authority and Emirates are far floung and we crave for a better arrangements, possibly involving other stakeholders. In this pandemic situation, no man is an island”, Mrs Akporiaye further stated

More so, effective February first, the Dubai Airport Authority will close its facilities to other Airlines flying passengers from Nigeria, except they fly Emirates.

The rapid response antigen test can only be done in Lagos and Abuja with Dubai bound passengers from the two Nigerian cities, paying N36, 800 and N25, 800 respectively, In addition to the PCR test from approved laboratories by Nigerian Center for Disease Control ( NCDC) and Presidential Task force.