United Arab Emirates’ national carrier, Emirates Airline, is set to return to its 21-weekly flights schedule out of Nigeria, effective September 1 – in affirmation of its full recovery from the pandemic effects.

Senior Vice President of the airline, Badr Abbas, at an appreciation meeting with travel partners in Lagos and Abuja, said the carrier had recovered up to 90 per cent and the Nigerian market remains strategic to go full circle.

Abbas, in company of the Country Manager, Paulos Legesse, and the Emirates team in Nigeria, reassured the airline’s commitment to the “strategic Nigerian market” and personally hosted a historic travel industry workshop and recognition event in Abuja for the leading travel agents in Northern Nigeria.

Commenting on reconnecting in person with the travel industry for the first time since the outset of the pandemic, Abbas said: “Emirates airline and Nigeria share a very special relationship that goes back to almost 20 years, and we have been connecting Nigerian travellers to a global network, which now spans nearly 130 destinations, making it easier to connect with friends, family, trade and tourism opportunities.

“We have been eager to visit Nigeria, a market that is very important to us, to meet with the people that have supported us, even in the most difficult of times. Throughout this journey, you, our loyal travel agents have been an integral part of our rebuilding efforts, for which we are extremely grateful. We look forward to your continued support in the years ahead,” Abbas said.

He acknowledged that it has been a torrid two-year of pandemic effects for all parties. “Yet, together we are navigating the road to recovery, hopefully gaining an even stronger footing for the future. The word ‘together’ is key, and has always been for us at Emirates. Recovery is not a unilateral effort.”

It is through collaboration and meaningful partnerships that we move forward with recovery, and all collectively prepare to address the pent-up demand for travel to and from Nigeria and across our network.”

The specialised industry workshop in Abuja, aimed to provide the travel industry with the latest updates and information on the airline, its route network and fleet in service, the ramp up of operations in Nigeria, new routes for the airline globally, updates on its new Premium Economy product, up-to-date information on its customer and booking policies, the latest on Emirates Gateway partner portal, in addition to other topics.

Emirates currently operates 12 flights a week to Lagos, and Abuja. Emirates flew over 19 million passengers across its network in the last financial year.