Emirates, Kenya Airways stopping flight to Nigerian capital

Emirates airline and Kenya Airways are halting flights to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, where airlines have been cutting back because of difficulties as the country is entrenched in recession. The airlines will continue flights to Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. This comes after United Airline and Iberia pulled out of Nigeria in August, when the govt owed international airlines US$600m in sales blocked by a chronic foreign currency shortage caused by slumped oil prices. In September, 2 Nigerian airlines suspended operations. Emirates said Wednesday the airline is suspending flights from Abuja to Dubai Oct 30. Kenya Airways is stopping Abuja-Nairobi flights Nov 15. Foreign airlines lost $240m when their ticket sales were paid out at a much-devalued rate of the Nigerian naira to the dollar. <br/>