Following the unilateral severance of its diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi, Algiers toughens its stance by decreeing the immediate closure of its airspace to all Emirati traffic, civil as well as military, while allowing a temporary transition for scheduled commercial routes.
The Ministry of National Defense officialized, this Thursday, the complete closure of Algeria’s airspace to all aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates. This rigorous decision constitutes the initial concrete retaliatory step adopted by Algerian authorities, merely a few hours following the resounding announcement regarding the severance of diplomatic relations between both nations, formalised during the morning by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the terms of the official statement released by the Ministry on its web portal, this drastic ban takes effect starting Friday, September 11 at precisely midnight. It applies without distinction to all civil and military aircraft registered within the Emirates, whether originating from Emirati territory or bound there as a final destination.
In order to prevent a sudden rupture of transport flows and lessen the impact upon travelers, a transitional exemption was nevertheless granted. The ministry thus specified that an exception is allowed temporarily solely for scheduled commercial flights serving Algiers International Airport. This operational tolerance will remain effective until the conclusion of the year marking the end of the contract for airport services between both countries.