The United Arab Emirates and Canada have seemingly ended their three year tit-for-tat airline rights war with the UAE lifting the exclusive visa requirement for Canadian citizens. The two countries have been at odds over landing rights in Canada for Emirates and Etihad. Canada restricted access and in turn the UAE slapped a levy on entrance visas for Canadians. At its height the spat saw Canada forced to close a military base in Dubai, which was part of a key NATO supply route to Afghanistan, after refusing to grant the UAE's two national carriers, Etihad and Emirates, more landing rights.
The UAE lost out too though as the visa fee was set when more than 25,000 Canadians were living in the UAE and bilateral trade was valued at $1.5bn annually. Those numbers have slipped somewhat and the closing of the base played no small part in this.
So it seems that normal service will resume and nothing has been gained by either side Air Canada has been able to have a little breathing space while it gets its house in order and we will have to see if the two large UAE flag carriers will move into Canada further once this is all sorted out.