Emirates 'lifts ban on Tunisian women'

Dubai-based Emirates airline has retracted an earlier statement banning Tunisian women from its flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tunisian media has quoted a statement by the company as saying. 

Privately-owned Mosaique FM radio had originally posted on its website a copy of the statement it said had been distributed to Tunisian passengers, informing them that "with immediate effect all Tunisian Females Nationals are denied entry to the UAE".

This also applied to customers transferring in Dubai for onward flights, the statement said.

Mosaique FM reported a state of confusion at Carthage Airport in Tunis and subsequently posted videos of passengers expressing their frustration.

The "temporary" ban had been issued by the UAE government, the original statement said, and Emirates airlines was "required to strictly adhere" to it.

The only exception to this were Tunisian women holding a UAE resident visa or diplomatic passport, it added.