There are strong indications that the United Kingdom may rescind its travel ban on Nigeria and revert to a return of quarantine for countries on the Red List particularly Nigerians before the December 20 date for the review of the list.

The review could see Nigerians travelling undergo quarantine in their chosen hotels or homes rather than the current situation where travellers, especially British nationals, are subjected to a 10-day compulsory quarantine at government facilities at a cost of over £2, 000.

A top official of one of the British carriers, who spoke to New Telegraph under strict condition of anonymity because he was not supposed to disclose the outcome of the meetings held by the British authorities, said: “The UK Red List is going to be reviewed before December 20. I can tell you that authoritatively.

They would most likely revert to quarantine as against the blanket ban on Nigerians.

“Nigeria would most likely exit the Red List but there would be strict rules on quarantine which will be done in hotel of choice of travellers, or in their homes.”

New Telegraph learnt that the decision to quickly review the ban rather than wait for December 20 was as a result of global pressure especially from Nigeria and South Africa who view the ban or red listing as politically motivated.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and other global bodies have condemned the position taken by the UK and some other nations as hasty and one that is not science based.

It was also learnt that the enormous pressure from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic may have also paid off as many of the carriers see Nigeria, South Africa as high yield routes that could help them to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was learnt that there has been a lot of diplomatic moves behind the scenes by both UK and Nigeria to thaw the frosty relations between the two nations over the Omicron outbreak that put Nigeria and over 12 other nations under the dreaded UK Red List, which virtually made it impossible for Nigerian travellers to enter the island nation.

Consequently, UK carriers are left in the cold as per how the situation would pan out if Nigeria decided to retaliate soon by adding UK to her own type of red list.

Their situation is further fuelled by the threat by Nigeria to, under the principle of reciprocity, bar the two UK-based airlines, BA and Virgin Atlantic. Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika had, in an audio tape released late Saturday night, explained that it was to reciprocate restricted flights from Nigeria into those countries over the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

“We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us and we recommended that Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina should also be put on the Red List. “As they did to us, if they do not allow our citizens into their countries; who are they coming, as airlines, to pick from our country?” he said.

Also because of the abysmal passenger traffic, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic could be forced to cut down on their daily frequencies to Lagos and Abuja.

When contacted, Country Commercial Manager, BA in Nigeria and West Africa, Mrs Tutu Otuyalo said her airline was not considering stoppage of flights to Nigeria despite the impasse the Red Listing has caused.

An airline operator, who simply gave his name as ‘Michael’, said it makes no sense to operate near empty aircraft for a six-hour trip to Nigeria, describing it as a sheer, ‘economic waste’.

Nigerian travellers form 85 percent of passengers by foreign airlines in Nigeria as the country lacks the capacity to reciprocate many of the Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) because of lack of airlines while many of the designated carriers on international routes lack efficiency.

For now, many of the UK based carriers are running at a loss and might return to profitability when the diplomatic row is resolved.

https://www.newtelegraphng.com/source-uk-may-rescind-travel-ban-on-nigeria/


Lalasticlala

The vigour with which Nigeria elites are so concerned and worried about this UK travel ban show that they have so much at stake over there.

It's in their interest too
London is the headquarters of illicit funds by most corrupt political officers. In their bank vaults are the stolen wealth of most of the developing countries.

It's the United kingdom that should actually be the one on the red list because they have more infection rate spread than us and possible risk factor of cold weather is more prominent over there than in Nigeria.
They were copying US and forgot that US doesn't significantly depend on inflows from holiday visits and shopping by foreign tourists like they and their banking system which has severally been indicted in the Pandora papers does.
Nigeria of 2021 is not that of 1921 o.
Nice one by the FG.
All the enemies of Nigeria will lose las las. They always lose. God bless Nigeria forever.

This is not good enough, quarantine to pay £2500+ in 10days? They should allow people to quarantine with relatives/their own houses and this should apply to everyone coming into the UK and not just few African countries alone.

justwise:
This is not good enough, quarantine to pay £2500+ in 10days? They should allow people to quarantine with relatives/their own houses and this should apply to everyone coming into the UK and not just few African countries alone.

One thing at a time, By tomorrow, FG will hopefully have reciprocated their red listing. They will be given the Emirates treatment las las. Sebi they will write Nigeria and we will respond. They don't have the monopoly of mischief nau.

Aufbauh:
The vigour with which Nigeria elites are so concerned and worried about this UK travel ban show that they have so much at stake over there.

Elites bawo? UK is like a second home to Nigerians and not for children of the elites alone. There are Nigerians up to the 3rd generation over there in UK and their opposition to the ban is more of national pride and exposing the hypocrisy in the red listing . Has nothing to do with elitism.
It's also to send a signal to those other nations who may want to follow suit in the hypocrisy. If you try nonsense, Nigeria will reciprocate too.
You can see how UAE is trying to resolve its issue with NCAA after NCAA reciprocated by reducing the flights of Emirates Airline to just one weekly.

Which should be the logical thing to do.

Leap before you think Britons.

Aufbauh:
The vigour with which Nigeria elites are so concerned and worried about this UK travel ban show that they have so much at stake over there.

Which makes one wonder. When a child is ranting and shouting all over the place, pay attention carefully. The mother or father or relatives are close-by.

Something is definitely at stake.

https://punchng.com/uk-set-to-reduce-travel-restrictions-scrap-red-list-report/

https://dailytrust.com/breaking-uk-set-to-lift-travel-ban-as-deadline-of-nigerias-planned-sanction-nears

Cc lalasticlala