Saudi Arabia authorities cancelled the visa of all the 264 passengers who travelled from Nigeria to Jeddah.
The Air Peace flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria, via the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Sunday night, Nov. 12, and arrived in Saudi Arabia’s major city, Jeddah, today, Nov. 13.
However, on landing, the Saudi Arabian authorities announced that all the passengers’ visas were cancelled and they should return to Nigeria.
A source told Vanguard that all the passengers and the airline personnel were shocked at the cancellation of the visas because during check the passengers went through the Advanced Passengers Prescreening System, APPS, which was also monitored by the Saudi Arabia authorities before the flight left Nigeria.
The 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 was already fully booked.
When the Nigerian embassy waded in Saudi authorities were said to have reduced the number of passengers that would be returned from 264 to 170.
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.