Somalia threatens Fly Dubai, Ethiopian Airlines with suspension for misrepresenting destinations

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has issued a formal warning to Fly Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines, accusing both airlines of actions that challenge Somalia's sovereignty. The warning was delivered in a press statement by Ahmed Moallin Hassan, the Director General of the SCAA.

Fly Dubai has been accused of violating international law by removing references to Somali destinations on their official website, ticket booking platforms, and mobile applications.

According to the SCAA, these actions are seen as an attempt to undermine Somalia's sovereignty. The airline has replaced the names of Somali destinations with only airport codes, which the SCAA considers an unacceptable disregard for the country's sovereignty.

"These representations blatantly disregard the sovereignty of the Federal Government of Somalia and are unacceptable," the SCAA stated in the press release.

The SCAA has demanded that Fly Dubai accurately represent its Somali destinations by including the full name of the destination along with "Somalia" on both its website and mobile application.

The authority has warned that failure to comply with these directives will result in the immediate revocation of Fly Dubai's operating permit within Somalia.

A similar issue has arisen with Ethiopian Airlines. Despite multiple letters and meetings between the SCAA and Ethiopian Airlines officials in Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, the airline has not addressed the concerns raised by the SCAA.

The Somali authority also noted that they have received numerous complaints from Somali nationals regarding harassment by Ethiopian Airlines.

"We have received an increasing number of unacceptable complaints from the Somali public regarding their travel experiences with Ethiopian Airlines," Ahmed said.

The SCAA has given both airlines a deadline of August 24, 2024, to rectify the situation. If the airlines do not comply, the SCAA has warned that it may suspend all flights to Somalia.

The authority emphasised that any future recurrence of the issue, such as not properly identifying Somali destinations, will lead to suspension without further notice.

"Failure to address these concerns within the given deadline will compel us to take further action, including the suspension of flights. Any future recurrence, such as not properly identifying the destinations in Somalia, will result in suspension without further warning," Ahmed noted.