Our Nigerian indigenous airline Air Peace made its flight to Gatwick Airport in London, the United Kingdom on Saturday the 27th of March 2024.
This is a historical landmark. There should not be any room for complacency and errors in the management of the UK-bound flight. The flight was full on the London-bound flight on both inward and outward-bound flights. The route is termed the busiest and most lucrative.
We want to wish Air Peace a big congratulations on this great occasion. Nigeria needs daring citizens like Dr Allen Onyema to show examples of Nigerian patriotism, commitment and resilience that we can succeed as Nigerians.
Our federal government should support our local operators to break into these international routes. The Nigerian government should help our local operators to have favorable terms of lease agreement.
They should help encourage the dry lease arrangements for our indigenous operators to help with the aircraft financing. It is observed that Nigerian native foods will be served on the route.
There is a bilateral aviation safety agreement (BASA) between the United Kingdom and Nigeria regarding this. Nigerian operators were given 21 slots on the Lagos London bound flight. We have only been able to use 7 slots meaning we still have 14 slots for grabs.
On its official website, Air Peace stated "London service has commenced, and we are delighted to have achieved yet another feat in our drive to continually provide peaceful connectivity across cities" they posted. "A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the launch".
According to Air Peace, the carrier is launching a daily route from Nigeria to London on the 30th of March with the just newly acquired Carrier using the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The maintenance agreement has been signed with the Aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance with Norse Atlantic Airways to operate some of the flights on the new route. Safety protocols the MRO was signed with the Israeli Aerospace industry.
Nigerians are excited that an indigenous airline has finally been able to fly the Lagos Nigeria to London bound flight. Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora have embraced Air Peace. This was the first time in 7 years. Other Nigerian airliners that have been unsuccessful in running the flight were Virgin Nigeria Limited, Arik Airline and Med-View Airline.
A brief ceremony was held at the Muritala Muhammed Airport at the New Terminal to celebrate the occasion. According to one of the passengers on board the flight, he noted that the flight was a long and much-awaited one that signifies a new dawn in the Nigerian travel industry.
Air Peace has in the past supported the Nigerian government and Nigerians. It has helped in giving emergency services to Nigerians when needed as in the case of airlifted Nigerians from South Africa when they were harassed and antagonised.
"This will bring an end to the exploitation of fares charged by some foreign carriers". Immediately after the launch, airfares started going down dramatically. This has crashed the exorbitant fare prices charged by BA and Virgin Atlantic
In the last 2 years, the fare prices rose over 400 percent due to the accumulated trapped funds of foreign airlines in Nigeria which was caused by the scarcity of foreign exchange in the economy.
The airline is offering a very competitive rate of 1.2 million naira for the cheapest ticket of economy class. The business class ticket sells for 4 million naira while students studying in the UK can now access a special 15% rebate on economy class fares. This has slashed fares by 66% on the route. This will bring much-needed competitiveness to the Nigerian market.
Compared to other airlines like the British Airways' economy class return from Lagos to London cost $2,698.00 which is about 4,7-million naira, and business class is about $8,598 which is about 15,2 million naira.
Virgin Atlantic charges $1,745 which is 3.1 million naira while the Business class costs $7,578 which is 13.5 million naira.
We should embrace the ease of doing business. The Air Peace should make it a point of duty to make the service sustainable.
The commencement of the flight operation was not a smooth one according to the CEO of Air Peace Dr Onyema. It was with lots of difficult challenges within the aviation industry. Both internally and internationally.
Dr Onyema complained of a cat-and-mouse game being played by both the local and international officials. There was the international aero politics being played by concerned parties. He had to pay 200 million naira to invite the IATA Officials to audit Air Peace. He was able to pass the TCO of Europe and the British one whilst the Nigerian one had denied him. The Gatwick authorities demanded he pay a nonrefundable deposit of £ 3 million for security and safety before he could start the operation. He also had to pay £740,000 for catering.
There was frustration from both the Nigerian and British officials who did not want the services to take up smoothly. They were unhappy that Air Peace distorted the market exorbitant prices charged by the foreign operators. He recalled that the flight starting is a blessing to Nigerians who have been yawning for an indigenous flight carrier. "Our London flight ticket is sold out till September; we are bringing 33 brand new planes and set to hit Lagos-New York and Texas before December," said Dr Allen Onyema.
I do ask that both foreigners and Nigerians should patronise our own indigenous Air Peace airlines which despite all odds, frustrations, and challenges, has made us proud. It is one of the Nigerian airlines that has shown us Nigerians a clear example of resilience, courage, and determination to make things happen. We as Nigerian need to be patriotic. This is our own. We should patronise Air Peace. We need to believe in our own. We need to support the "Fly Nigeria Act" which allows government agencies to fly only Nigerian airlines for official duties because they are using the money of the Federal government to purchase the tickets.
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