The federal government has pledged to respond in kind to any treatment faced by Air Peace on its recently launched Lagos-London route. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, stated during an interview at the Air Peace Lagos-London inaugural flight ceremony at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday that Nigeria would introduce similar obstacles if any country or airline tried to hinder Air Peace’s operations.
Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation (ADGCA), emphasized the importance of adopting the Fly Nigeria Act for public officials to support the success of indigenous airlines on international routes. Additionally, he assured that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would back Air Peace and other local airlines to excel on international routes, unlike in the past.
Keyamo highlighted the benefits of Air Peace’s inaugural flight to London, including passenger comfort and competitive prices on international routes. He also addressed issues such as repatriation of funds and the need to bring Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities into Nigeria to ease pressure on the country’s economy.
Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace, stressed the necessity of significant government support, particularly in equipment acquisition, for Nigerian airlines. He emphasized Air Peace’s experience in international operations and its capacity to handle demanding flight schedules, showcasing the reliability of the airline’s services.
Air Peace successfully operated its inaugural flight to London using a Boeing 777-300 aircraft, with plans to service the route daily from Lagos.
