Air Peace Management has firmly debunked a false online report alleging irregularities surrounding its proposed Lagos-São Paulo service, stating that the claims misrepresent aviation processes and mislead the public. The airline clarified that the São Paulo route has not reached a commercial stage and therefore could not have generated stranded passengers, ticket refunds, or abandoned travellers, as widely suggested by the online medium.
According to Air Peace Management, no tickets were ever sold for the Lagos–São Paulo route, no booking window was opened, and no launch date was announced. Therefore, the airline said it is illogical to suggest that Nigerians were left behind on a flight that never entered commercial sale. In aviation terms, Management stressed, a route only becomes operational after regulatory, commercial, and safety thresholds are fully satisfied.
However, the airline explained that confusion may have arisen from a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Brazil, which merely expressed bilateral intent to deepen air connectivity. Air Peace Management clarified that such an MoU does not translate into flight operations or commercial readiness. In practice, the airline noted, an MoU is only an initial framework and does not authorise ticket sales, aircraft deployment, or route activation to São Paulo.
Lagos-São Paulo service Clarification
Meanwhile, Management emphasised that international long-haul operations involve extensive regulatory procedures that cannot be bypassed. For the São Paulo service, this includes approvals under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, engagement with Brazil’s civil aviation regulator, the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil, and the securing of airport slots in São Paulo. In addition, safety oversight, insurance clearances, extended-range operational certification, and route economics assessments must all be concluded before any announcement.
Air Peace Management further explained that regulatory clearance from both Nigeria and Brazil, including ANAC, is mandatory before any airline can lawfully commence operations to São Paulo. Therefore, the airline said no responsible operator would announce ticket sales or publish flight schedules without written approvals and confirmed operational readiness, regardless of public expectations or political goodwill.
On fleet capability, Management confirmed that Air Peace possesses suitable aircraft to operate long-haul services once approvals are secured. The airline currently deploys Boeing 777 aircraft on its London route, while additional wide-body aircraft remain available for future expansion, including to São Paulo. However, Management stressed that aircraft availability alone does not override regulatory obligations or commercial prudence.
In addition, the airline clarified that it never issued a binding commitment on a specific start date for the Lagos–São Paulo service. Expressions of interest or long-term planning statements, Management noted, should not be misconstrued as launch guarantees. By comparison, Air Peace’s London operations reportedly took several years of planning, regulatory engagement, and structured preparation before commencement.
Addressing claims that the unlaunched São Paulo route contributed to high international fares, Air Peace Management described such assertions as misleading. The airline explained that international ticket pricing is shaped by global market forces, fuel costs, airport charges, and foreign carrier strategies. Therefore, the existence of an MoU alone, Management said, cannot directly influence fares on international routes.
Air Peace Management confirmed that preparatory work for the São Paulo route began last year and that engagements with Nigerian authorities, Brazilian regulators including ANAC, and other aviation stakeholders remain ongoing. The airline reiterated that aviation operations are governed by strict safety and regulatory standards, which must be fully satisfied before flights can be announced or operated.
In conclusion, Management stated that once all regulatory and commercial requirements are completed, the Lagos-São Paulo route will be formally announced through official channels. Until then, the airline stressed that no flight was sold, no passenger was abandoned, and no scam occurred, reiterating that a Memorandum of Understanding does not amount to a boarding pass.
