Canadians to pay up to $C1000 to enter UAE after airlines spat

[haydensydney]

The UAE embassy announced in November it will require Canadians to apply for visas after an aviation dispute between the two countries over landing rights for commercial flights.

A short-term 30-day visa will cost $C250 and a three-month visa will cost $C500, the UAE Embassy in Ottawa said on its website. A multiple-entry visa will cost $C1000 and is valid for six months for a maximum stay of 14-days per visit.

Sounds a little OTT even for a middle east country - what detail is missing in terms of the aforementioned "landing rights disputes?"

Canadians to pay up to $1000 to enter UAE after airlines spat

 

[anat0l]

It could be a worse gesture. For example, limiting oil exports to Canada.

All this does is simply reduce the number of tourists to the UAE from Canada. How big is tourism in the UAE again? I assume transit pax are unaffected.

Canada has yet to comment or retaliate.

 

[samh004]

It appears the UAE wanted more landing slots in Canada, but the various unions and Air Canada opposed that, so they had talks and in the process of the talks the Canadian government put an offer on the table that contained less rights than they have now.

Meanwhile, as they’re telling all that more landing slots for the UAE will lead to job cuts, they gave Qatar 3 new slots that they didn’t have in November.

Seems the UAE has the upper hand though, evicting Canada from a military staging base in the region and raising visa rates. Sounds a lot like the Canadian government needs better negotiators and to think about how to do things diplomatically.

UAE says more landing rights would be ‘favourable’ for Canada - The Globe and Mail

Ottawa up in the air on UAE bid for more Canadian flights - The Globe and Mail

Canada signs air landing rights deal with Qatar

 

[anat0l]

Not sure about upper hand, although I may be underestimating the importance of Canadians going to the UAE or the military base they had there.

Certainly interesting as this is a national government taking a vested interest in the welfare of its national carrier (but then EK isn't fully privatised either).

 

[samh004]

Not sure about upper hand, although I may be underestimating the importance of Canadians going to the UAE or the military base they had there.

Certainly interesting as this is a national government taking a vested interest in the welfare of its national carrier (but then EK isn't fully privatised either).

Well from what I understood, they’d been in the base rent free for years and moving the operations is going to cost them a lot of money. It’s also no doubt set back a number of trade deals and all sorts. Airline slots could very well be the least of their worries soon.

 

[oz_mark]

Certainly interesting as this is a national government taking a vested interest in the welfare of its national carrier

Hardly anything new about that.

 

[Sprucegoose]

sabre rattling in the least effective way.

I dont understand the important of the Mid East to CAN until they start mining there.

What does it say about CAN open skies policy? If they can fill the planes, then why not let them fly?

Restricitve trade polices is in no ones long term interests.

 

[samh004]

sabre rattling in the least effective way.

I dont understand the important of the Mid East to CAN until they start mining there.

What does it say about CAN open skies policy? If they can fill the planes, then why not let them fly?

Restricitve trade polices is in no ones long term interests.

I can understand why the Canadian airlines and the Canadian government would feel threatened though, more routes by a cheaper and more premium carrier could only be detrimental for them.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I can understand why the Canadian airlines and the Canadian government would feel threatened though, more routes by a cheaper and more premium carrier could only be detrimental for them.

yes quite so Sam. I would say they will be judged on how they deal with that threat. If you have ever flown Air Canada or sisters, then they would very much be under threat.

Generally I am a free trade person unless there is a clear national interest argument.

We refused SQ to fly on the Pacific Route, however this is a different circumstance.

 

[clifford]

Seems the UAE has the upper hand though, evicting Canada from a military staging base in the region and raising visa rates. Sounds a lot like the Canadian government needs better negotiators and to think about how to do things diplomatically.

I don't particularly like the conservative govt in Canada, but I take my hat off to them in this instance.

Who does the UAE think it is? [redaction]They make most of their money from oil[/redaction] They add nothing to human development at all.

Come on now...

 

[MrHyde]

Interesting politics at play here. I read up a number of the news articles on the Globe and Mail and it said that the Canadians had till 5th November to vacate Camp Mirage. But I can't find any place that tells me what the current situation is? Have they moved or have they got an extension?

 

[browski]

The very large Canadian Indian population fill the flights on Emirates to/from India.

If you subscribe to the previous poster Clifford's ... world view then Australians [redaction]make much of their income from mineral resources[/redaction] . They add nothing to human development at all.

Happy New Year

 

[Sprucegoose]

Apart from the fact the Middle East has a wealth of history and was a cradle of civilisation, interestingly the BBC are reporting that if you fly Emirates or Etihad they offer visas at lower prices.

This is contrary to our system of Government where there is a clear seperation of state and commercial affairs. Parallel to this were the concerns I and others had at the SQ response to the QF A380 incident where the state effectively owns the airline, supported by state policy clearly underpining a profit objective over safety by not taking the same level response as QANTAS.

The website of the UAE embassy in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, now says that from 2 January a six-month, multiple-entry visa will cost $1,000, a three-month visa will be charged at $500, while a 30-day visa will cost $250.

The site says Emirates and Etihad can also issue visas to Canadians. Emirates said it would charge $72.50 for a 30-day visa along with a $272.50 deposit, refundable on leaving the UAE. It said it could not offer three and six-month visas.

Etihad charges a similar amount as Emirates for a 30-day visa.