Kingsley Nwokeoma, President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, has stated that Emirates Airlines’ suspension of flights to Nigeria due to trapped forex is only the beginning, and that more international carriers will follow suit soon if nothing is done to address their concerns.
Nwokeoma stated this in response to the trapped forex of international airlines in Nigeria, which is the primary reason Emirates Airlines suspended its flights.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) had expressed concerns over the decision by the Nigerian government to block foreign airlines from repatriating ticket sales revenue amounting to $450 million (N188.6bn) into their respective countries.
Emirates Airlines, while announcing the suspension of its flights to Nigeria on Thursday stated that it “has tried every avenue to address our ongoing challenges in repatriating funds from Nigeria, and we have made considerable efforts to initiate dialogue with the relevant authorities for their urgent intervention to help find a viable solution.”
In his reaction, the President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria noted that if other countries were like Nigeria, the industry would not have existed as there would be no money for maintenance.