Fly Dubai and Air Arabia, two Emirati airlines popular for their low-cost pricing, are caught up in aero fights between Somalia and Somaliland.
The government of Somaliland, under President Muse Bihi Abdi, has ordered the two airlines to apologize to the country.
Bihi’s administration accuses them both of adhering to a ban from the Federal Government of Somalia on international flights as a measure for curbing the spread of COVID-19.
On March 19, 2020, a Fly Dubai plane that was on its way to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, was ordered back to Dubai by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA).
Consequently, Bihi’s government cancelled the license of both airlines.
While canceling their licenses, the government of Somaliland reminded them and other airlines that it is independent from Somalia.
A ministerial meeting held on October 18, 2020 in Hargeisa agreed to extend the ban further.
Minutes from the ministerial meeting show that the government ordered both airlines to apologize to Somaliland Civil Aviation and Airports Authority (SCAAA), its own regulator.