Emirates resumes flight operations to Lagos

Emirates Airlines has announced the reinstatement of its flight operations to Lagos, starting September 11, 2022.

Making the announcement in a memo to customers on Wednesday, the airline said that inbound flights from Dubai to Lagos and outbound flight to Dubai will commence on September 11.

“We are pleased to inform you that effective from 11th September 2022, we will reinstate operations of our flights,” Emirates said.

“Inbound flights from Dubai to Lagos (EK783) and outbound flights from Lagos to Dubai (EK784) will recommence from Sunday, 11th September 2022.

“Lagos flights after 30th September, 2022 will be advised in due course.”

The development comes shortly after the Central Bank released $265 million to foreign airlines amid threats by the international carries stop operations in Nigeria over the trapped funds

Emirates Airlines had earlier announced that it will be suspending flight operations in Nigeria from September 1 after several failed attempts by the foreign airline to recover $85 million of its over $600 million trapped in Nigeria.

In a related development, British Airways on Friday closed its inventory on its Nigerian operations, a move incident on the failure of the airline to repatriate funds from ticket sales out of Nigeria.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) voiced reservations about the Federal Government of Nigeria’s decision to prevent international airlines from remitting ticket sales proceeds of $450 million (N188.6 billion) into their home nations.

IATA urged the Buhari regime to prioritise the release of the funds before more damage is done, noting that the failure to do so will affect Nigeria’s access to its services.

In defence, the Nigerian government has regularly argued that the nation is experiencing a currency crisis and is unable to fulfill a number of responsibilities, including dollar requests from residents and businesses as well as revenue repatriation by international airlines.