Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest carrier, has deepened its international footprint with the official launch of direct flight services between Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and London Heathrow, United Kingdom.
The inaugural flight took off from Abuja on Sunday, marking Air Peace’s second direct route to London after it commenced Lagos–London services in March 2024.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Air Peace Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, attributed the achievement to the supportive policies of the Federal Government, particularly in the aviation sector.
“This success is a direct result of the government listening to the yearnings and aspirations of the people,” Onyema said. “When Nigerian helicopter airline owners cried to the honourable minister about a certain charge, he removed it on the spot, in order to make life very simple for these airlines.”
The airline boss commended the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their proactive approach to strengthening the aviation industry.
“It is not just about Air Peace,” Onyema said. “Unless every airline in this country speaks up for what this regime has done for them, don’t keep quiet. It’s not only when the not so good things are done that we all shout. When a government is doing that which is right, let us have one of our comrades there.
“And let any airline who says it has not benefited from the regime of Festus Keyamo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, let the person stand up. Let the person show up tomorrow. Never, not even once. I am a leader of the airline, and I can tell you better. So today, what we are celebrating is absolute patriotism, absolute love for one’s country.”
Onyema said Air Peace’s London operations demonstrate the capacity of Nigerian airlines to compete globally when given the right support and policy environment.
In his remarks, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, reaffirmed that President Tinubu had given a clear directive to fully support local operators to ensure their growth and sustainability.
“Mr. President’s mandate is to support local operators to thrive and survive,” Keyamo said. “We went to work with that directive, digging deep to find out what the problems of the local operators had been over the years. I’m sure you know that in the last 40 years or so, the mortality rate of the aviation sector has been very high. More than 100 airlines have come and gone.”
The minister emphasised that a healthy economy depends on a robust private sector and said his ministry was determined to ensure that local airlines get a fair competitive edge against their international counterparts.
“The private and international airlines have been coming and going from Nigeria in the last 90 years,” he said. “One of the major airlines on this route will be celebrating 90 years on this route in the next one month. So you can see the length of time that they have fared on the Nigerian economy.”
Keyamo noted that foreign carriers from almost all European capitals operate daily flights into Nigeria, lifting passengers without corresponding Nigerian operators flying into their countries despite existing bilateral air services agreements (BASA).
“Our first priority was to ramp up the capacity of Nigeria’s local airlines, enabling them to fully utilise the reciprocal rights under the BASA agreements,” he added.
Boluwatife Enome
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