Emirates Airlines' long-awaited flight to Lagos has successfully arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) following a suspension of its operations in the country.

A visit by BusinessDay to the MMIA terminal on Tuesday afternoon revealed that arriving passengers were being processed at the older terminal of MMIA.

Passengers interviewed by BusinessDay at the terminal noted that while the flight was not at full capacity, the onboard services were commendable.

Currently, arriving passengers are utilizing the old terminal, whereas departing passengers will be processed at the new terminal.

The Middle East-based airline had previously announced its plans to resume flight services to Nigeria starting October 1, 2024.

This information was shared by the Emirates Media Centre, the airline's news platform. The announcement stated: “Emirates will resume services to Nigeria from October 1, 2024, operating a daily route between Lagos and Dubai, thereby providing customers with enhanced options and connectivity from Nigeria’s largest city to, and through, Dubai.”

The flight, designated EK 783, was operated using a Boeing 777-300ER and received a water cannon salute upon its arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Kingsley Nwokoma, president of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), expressed his satisfaction regarding the resumption of Emirates flights after a hiatus of over two years. 

Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, led a prominent Nigerian delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, where he successfully concluded negotiations for the return of Emirates Airlines’ operations in Nigeria.

The discussions held on Friday morning also established the groundwork for a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries, aimed at fostering stronger and mutually advantageous aviation relations.