* Turn back 177 passengers
The Saudi Arabia government has reportedly cancelled the visa of all 264 passengers airlifted by Nigeria’s major carrier – Air Peace – on arrival at the country from Kano.
They insisted that the airline should return them to Nigeria.
Reports say 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, Jeddah, Monday without issues.
However, on landing, the Saudi Arabian authorities announced that all the passengers’ visas were cancelled.
Reports further said the passengers and the airline’s personnel were shocked at the cancellation of the visas given that the Saudi authorities monitored the Advanced Passengers Prescreening System (APPS) prior to airlift in Nigeria.
A 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 a high load factor and even the flight expected to leave on Tuesday to Jeddah is 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 170, 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 noted that the Saudi immigration personnel said they did not know who cancelled the visas but that they were cancelled when the airline was already airborne to Jeddah.
“The airline was exonerated in all this as the 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.”
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the sector have attributed the development to what they called aeropolitics.
Stating that it is a way to force the Nigerian operator out of the route; unless the government intervenes, adopting the principle of reciprocity.
According to industry experts and the Chief Executive Officer, Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Nigeria, Group Captain John Ojikutu, the action of the Saudis is aero politics and diplomacy.