In an unexpected turn of events, Saudi Arabian authorities have sparked shock and disbelief by canceling the visas of all 264 passengers aboard an Air Peace flight en route to Jeddah from Lagos and Kano on Sunday. The airline was instructed to return the passengers to Nigeria despite the meticulous screening process they underwent.
The flight, which originated from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, transiting through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, arrived at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday night. However, to the astonishment of airline staff, the Saudi authorities announced the cancellation of all passengers’ visas upon arrival.
The affected passengers had undergone thorough screening, including the Advanced Passengers Information System (APIS) during check-in formalities in Nigeria, a process monitored by Saudi authorities. Air Peace, which recently launched a direct flight to Jeddah, had been experiencing high load factors on this route.
A source familiar with the situation commented, “We are surprised because this cancellation was announced when the flight already landed. We are suspecting this is a strategy to frustrate the Nigerian carrier out of the route; some people are definitely not happy with the option Air Peace is providing, the direct flight to Jeddah as against using another foreign airline with higher fares.”
Upon intervention by the Nigerian embassy, Saudi authorities reduced the number of passengers to be returned from 264 to 177. The Air Peace airline is currently en route to Nigeria with the 177 passengers who were denied entry, with the majority intending to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah). The incident raises questions about the motivations behind the visa cancellations and the challenges faced by Nigerian carriers in international routes.
