TheCable

Celebration at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as Emirates airline resumed flight operations to Nigeria.

Two flights — EK 785 to Abuja and EK 783 to Lagos — operated by the airline landed simultaneously at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on Sunday, where they received water cannon salute.

A cake-cutting ceremony was also held.

Cake-cutting ceremony with the flight crew.

Speaking with reporters at the event, Paulos Legesse, an official of Emirates, said they are delighted to resume flight operations to the country.

“We are delighted to resume operations to and from Nigeria and are pleased to see strong interest from our customers, reflected in robust forward bookings from the time of our announcement, as well as today’s full flights from Dubai to Abuja and Lagos,” Legesse said.

“The services will also give our customers the opportunity once again to safely experience Emirates’ superior product and service, offering them convenient travel options to Dubai, an already popular destination for Nigerian travellers, as well as seamless connectivity to other key cities across our network.”

A water cannon salute.

The official said customers across all classes are able to enjoy the airline’s regional delicacies onboard.

In February, the airline had instructed Nigerian travellers at the Lagos and Abuja airports to take another PCR test on arrival at Dubai — the directive led to a ban on Emirates flights in Nigeria.

The decision was later reversed when the airline agreed to stop the rapid antigen tests.

In a twist in March, the federal government reintroduced the ban, explaining that Emirates had continued to conduct tests for passengers before departure and at arrival in Dubai.