Two Turkish Cypriot sisters booked to fly on Emirates airline to the United Arab Emirates from Cyprus last month have complained of ‘discrimination’ and ‘racist abuse’ by the airline’s check-in staff at Larnaca Airport.
Nilufer and Gulnaz Nejmi want to see the staff members responsible for the alleged abusive behaviour to be “retrained or removed”. They have also called on the European Union to act to protect consumers from “arbitrary and hidden rule changes” imposed by the Greek Cypriot government on North Cyprus passengers who use South Cyprus airports.
The Nejmi sisters had bought tickets to travel on Emirates flight EK110, which was scheduled to depart from Larnaca at 8.10pm local time on 1 September 2021.
The pair, regular travellers between Cyprus and the UAE, had complied with all the pre-travel Covid requirements. They were double-vaccinated in Dubai, and had also tested negative for coronavirus ahead of flying. But when they went to present their PCR test results and check their hold luggage in at the Emirates counter, they were refused boarding.
“We got there 3 hours before the flight departed,” Gulnaz Nejmi told T-VINE. “It was just after 5pm. We had already checked in online. When we got to the Emirates counter at Larnaca [Airport] to check our bags in they refused us, saying they do not accept PCR tests from the North side.”
There were three staff members at the Emirates counter, two in uniform and another in different formal attire who seemed to the sisters to be the supervisor. According to Gulnaz, the supervisor was “extremely rude and very abusive” when addressing them.
“We were shocked, as my sister’s husband travelled the same route on July 31, with a PCR from the North, from Erduran lab, and there was absolutely no problem. I had also travelled on the same flight to Dubai three months prior, again with a North Cyprus PCR test, and again with no problems,” Gulnaz stated.
She said the UAE’s rules on PCR tests have not changed throughout this time and that the airline simply requires passengers to have a negative PCR test result taken in the country of departure – in this case Cyprus.
Although the island is divided into two states, the Greek Cypriot-run Republic of Cyprus in the South and the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC), the Republic of Cyprus claims the whole island as its territory.
The sisters had taken their PRC tests at the Kolan British Hospital, a private facility in the TRNC. The negative test results were in English, had QR codes and adhered to all other international standards governing a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
“I questioned them, ‘how come you’re not accepting these PCRs?’ As soon as I said that, the supervisor started to yell at us, ‘You are not recognised’, ‘You are an illegal occupation’. She verbally abused us in front of all the other passengers just because of where we are from,” said Gulnaz, still clearly distressed as she recalled the incident
Prior to travelling, the sisters had also checked the websites of Emirates, Hermes, which administers Larnaca Airport, and the Health Ministry website for the Republic of Cyprus. “Nowhere on any of these websites does it state that PCR tests from North Cyprus are not allowed,” said Gulnaz.
Further underscoring their point, an hour before their TRNC PCR tests were refused at the airport, the same certificates had been inspected and approved by Greek Cypriot officials at the Metehan checkpoint in the capital Nicosia that the sisters had used to cross over into South Cyprus.
When the sisters challenged the check-in staff over their refusal, Gulnaz claims they were verbally abused and racist slurs were used against their ethnic homeland of North Cyprus.
Further underscoring their point, an hour before their TRNC PCR tests were refused at the airport, the same certificates had been inspected and approved by Greek Cypriot officials at the Metehan checkpoint in the capital Nicosia that the sisters had used to cross over into South Cyprus.
When the sisters challenged the check-in staff over their refusal, Gulnaz claims they were verbally abused and racist slurs were used against their ethnic homeland of North Cyprus.
“I would like Emirates to apologise and compensate me for my losses, and for the humiliation my sister and I experienced at Larnaca Airport. Those check-in staff do not reflect the high standards we have come to expect from Emirates. They need to be retrained or removed, because it is unacceptable for staff to behave as they did, to verbally and racially abuse us because we are Turkish Cypriots from North Cyprus”
“I questioned them, ‘how come you’re not accepting these PCRs?’. As soon as I said that, the supervisor started to yell at us, ‘You are not recognised’, ‘You are an illegal occupation’. She verbally abused us in front of all the other passengers just because of where we are from,” said Gulnaz, still clearly distressed as she recalled the incident.
“When I asked them to show us in writing where North Cyprus PCR tests are not permitted, they refused. So I walked over to the British Airways counter and asked, ‘Do you accept PCR tests from the North side for flights to the UK?’ and the check-in staff there replied ‘Yes’.”
“If this is a new [Republic of Cyprus] government rule, shouldn’t all airlines at Larnaca Airport be uniformly enforcing it?” asked Gulnaz.
As it became clear the Emirates ground-handling staff were not going to back down, and with Gulnaz due in Dubai for work, the sisters started to look into a different way to resolve the problem.
When they asked airport staff where they could get another PCR test, they were casually informed, “Nowhere. All PCR labs are now closed and the results take 3 hours, so you will miss your flight.”
The sisters left the airport desperate to find a facility that did a rapid antigen test and eventually discovered a place. But by the time they returned armed with their negative results, it was 7.30pm and there was no one at the Emirates counter.
They frantically ran around, asking other airport staff to help, but to no avail. Check-in had closed and they had missed their flight.
The Nejmi sisters said airport staff were “unsympathetic” about their plight and even threatened to call the police after they remonstrated about the situation.
“I just burst out into tears, as I knew that I had lost my [bridal make-up] job,” Gulnaz said, “I had no idea what I was going to tell my clients. My 20-year beauty artist reputation in Dubai was in tatters, all because of this totally racist discrimination at Larnaca Airport.”
As there were no flights to Dubai from Cyprus the following day either, Gulnaz failed to make it to Abu Dhabi, where she was booked to prepare a bride for her wedding on 3 September. She claims she has lost around “$6,000 worth of work” because of failing to arrive in Dubai as planned.
The 40-year-old make-up artist, who splits her time between her homes in Girne and Dubai, believes the unofficial TRNC PCR ban in South Cyprus is fuelled by the negative political climate between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot governments:
“Funnily enough, this all happened after the [TRNC President Ersin] Tatar passport spat [with the Republic of Cyprus] and [the Turkish side’s announcement to re-open] Maraş.”
The Dubai-born Turkish Cypriot said, “We are living in Covid times. There is already enough psychological stress, so this [North Cyprus] PCR ban is totally unnecessary,” before adding, “We are in 2021, get rid of hate!”
Sisters upset after airline fails to apologise & dismisses claims about discrimination
The Nejmi sisters have registered complaints about their awful Emirates experience with the airline’s customer services teams in Dubai and their regional office. They also contacted the UAE Embassy in Nicosia. Emirates sent Gulnaz’s sister Nilufer this response after receiving her complaint:
“Dear Miss Nejmi, Thank you for your online correspondence. I regret to read of your disappointment with the current COVID-19 related requirements to travel to Dubai.
“The Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test requirements are mandated by the Government authorities and not by the airline. In line with the instruction received from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, any PCR tests which have been carried out in the North of Cyprus will not be accepted for travel. Instructions from governments regarding travel requirements relating to COVID-19 and PCR testing are strictly adhered to by Emirates.
“Whilst I appreciate your disappointment with the situation, please allow me to assure you that the staff members were merely following operational procedures and in no way intended to appear uncooperative.
“I also wish to reassure you that Emirates does not discriminate against any race or people. We are a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic based company and this is where much of our success lies. In fact, Emirates has more than 160 nationalities represented within our global staff network, and tolerance and acceptance are foundation values of our organisation.
“Thank you for writing and for allowing me to explain our position.”
The response, dated 6 September, was signed by “Sullen” from the “Emirates Customer Affairs” team.
Both sisters were left wholly dissatisfied by the response, and were particularly angered by the airline’s disregard for the verbal abuse and humiliation they faced at the airport simply for being from North Cyprus.
“We have seen on social media the responses from other airlines’ customer services teams to North Cyprus passengers who have been affected by this [PCR] issue. They have all been far more apologetic and taken seriously the complaints made about discrimination.
“Emirates, on the other hand, completely dismissed what we said and actually tried to defend the humiliating treatment we had to endure at the hands of their staff at Larnaca. It’s really disappointing.
“The Emiratis are really big on tolerance and respect. My home town of Dubai, like Emirates airline, is a global mosaic of people, and discrimination is just not allowed. It seems to me that the full facts of our case, and the insulting and racist behaviour of their local Cyprus staff at Larnaca Airport, was not properly relayed back to the airline for us to get such a poor response. Those staff members do not reflect Emirati values,” Gulnaz told T-VINE.
“The way we were treated at the airport has deeply disturbed my psychology. We are already under a lot of stress because of Covid. Missing this flight in the way I did was the last thing I needed. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and I’m not supposed to get stressed, but this experience has left me wiped me out. I feel like crying all the time. A 40-year-old woman crying! Why are we subjected to such horrible ill-treatment? Just because we are Turkish Cypriots? Enough!” she exclaimed.
T-VINE put the Nejmi sisters’ experience and complaints to Emirates. A spokesperson for the airline responded with the following statement:
“We’re working closely with all relevant authorities to help passengers travel internationally while ensuring they meet the entry requirements of their destination. Information on the travel requirements of all destinations is available on the Emirates website.
“We regret Miss Nilufer Nejmi and Miss Gulnaz Nejmi’s experience, however, our Emirates airport staff were following the official advice from the Cyprus Medical Services and Public Health Services (MOH) which recommended that PCR tests carried out in the north part of Cyprus should not be accepted.”
North Cyprus passengers share stories about discrimination at Larnaca Airport
A post about the Nejmi sisters’ experience on the large North Cyprus Expats Uncut Version (NCEUV) group on Facebook showed, however, that the discrimination by Emirates check-in staff at Larnaca Airport is not limited to Turkish Cypriots. Several members of the 10,500 strong group also described their experiences, including Debbie Collins, who posted:
“Oh no, so sad to read this is still happening. This happened to my daughter flying from Larnaca to Dubai on 20/8/21.
“They was very abusive, wouldnt let her fly without a proper pcr from the south which takes 3 hours. She was made to pay extra for flight next day, stay in a hotel overnight and miss a days work. There has been a letter sent to emirates. No reply recieved as yet [sic].”
Writing on the same group, Kat Cimen said her husband was also denied boarding because of his TRNC PCR test:
“My other half had the same problem when flying there a couple of weeks ago apparently Emirates only accept the PCR test from the country your departing from. Luckily he was able to change his flight before the check in closed and didn’t loose [sic] out on anything.”
Julie Cope said she and her family also had problems with the airline in July for similar reasons, and tagged the airline in her post: “Emirates please look at this. This is still happening to your loyal customers. You are now the only airline who are not accepting PCR tests from Cyprus as a whole island!!”
Last week, a relative of Ms Cope contacted Emirates to see if their policies on North Cyprus PCR tests had changed. Julie Cope posted this update on 25 September:
“Hooray just managed to get this from Emirates after chasing and chasing. Confirmation of their acceptance of North PCR test for boarding to Dubai! Common sense prevails 😎”, adding a screenshot of the transcript between Paul and Ali, a customer services rep for Emirates.
Paul asked for a “clear answer that a negative PCR with a QR code in English will be accepted whether it is done in the North or South of island”. Ali replied: “Yes it will be accepted”, and added that the transcript of their exchange would be supplied in an effort to further reassure the passenger.
Yet two days later, another NCEUV member Kasia received a different response. The Emirates customer services team in Dubai said they had “sent a message to our team at Larnaca airport”, and then proceeded to inform Kasia that, “They’ve confirmed that if you’re flying from Larnaca then you’d need a PCR done only in the Cyprus Republic.”
The latest Emirates response is open to interpretation. Is the north of the island considered part of the Cyprus Republic for PCR test purposes or excluded because the Greek Cypriots have no effective control there? If the Greek Cypriot authorities assert the latter, it essentially means the Cyprus Republic borders end at the Green Line, which would have serious political ramifications on and off the island, as well as adding weight to TRNC President Tatar’s assertation that “two states in Cyprus already exist”.
Emirates staff at Larnaca Airport need to be retrained or removed
For Gulnaz, the deliberately confusing policies of the Greek Cypriot government amounts to a violation of human rights. She urged North Cyprus passengers affected by discrimination in the South to go public to raise “awareness” and help stop Turkish Cypriot rights and voices being “suppressed”:
“We need to talk about it, to share other people’s stories if they have experienced the same. We need to make noise, to tweet about it, because this needs to stop! There is no room for hate!”, she said emphatically.
“We need to create awareness and request everyone to help, so we can make these unfair incidents go viral. We need to make ourselves heard. Turkish Cypriots need to know they can voice their opinions and that no one has the right to suppress them and their rights.
“We also need to see action from the European Travel Commission on these arbitrary and hidden rule changes. They [Greek Cypriot authorities] can’t just change the rules when they feel like it and not tell us passengers. How is this legally possible?” asked Gulnaz.
“If there is freedom of movement in Cyprus, then how can the EU allow the Greek Cypriot government to behave like this? Either North Cyprus PCR test results are allowed or they are not? You can’t have it that they are OK at the Green Line and then ban the same certificates at South Cyprus airports. It’s ridiculous!”, Gulnaz added.
The Nejmi sisters say they are currently seeking legal advice about their experience. While they understand the airline is merely trying to adhere to local rules, they believe it is also in the wrong for failing to convey the altered position on North Cyprus PCR tests prior to their planned flight on 1 September.
“We’re not mind-readers. If the advice on the website is the same as when we last travelled and at that point it was OK to use PCR tests from North Cyprus, how can we deduce something has changed? They need to be explicit about it,” said Gulnaz.
When asked how she would ideally like to see this matter resolved, Gulnaz deliberated and said: “I would like Emirates to apologise and compensate me for my losses, and for the humiliation my sister and I experienced at Larnaca Airport.
“Those check-in staff do not reflect the high standards we have come to expect from Emirates. They need to be retrained or removed, because it is unacceptable for staff to behave as they did, to verbally and racially abuse us because we are Turkish Cypriots from North Cyprus,” said Gulnaz.
