Onyema explained that Air Peace halted operations to Mumbai due to its commitment to the London route launch. However, he confirmed plans to re-enter India via Delhi, where there is higher passenger demand.

BY ANTHONY OMOH

Air Peace has confirmed it will commence direct flights from Abuja to London Heathrow by October 2025, marking a significant milestone. This is in addition to the airline’s Lagos to London Gatwick service which began under Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement with the United Kingdom over a year ago.

Air Peace secured the highly sought-after landing and departure slot at London Heathrow, following allocation by the United Kingdom’s official slot coordinator, Airport Coordination Limited (ACL). The independent body manages slot distribution at all major UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Manchester, ensuring fair and transparent access for airlines.

Air Peace now has a daily slot for the Abuja-London route and plans to alternate it between Heathrow and Gatwick, having received approval for both airports. It will fly thrice to London Heathrow from Abuja and four times to Gatwick from Abuja.

Chairman of Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, disclosed this development while lauding Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, for facilitating approvals. He said the Heathrow clearance by British authorities reflected their trust in Air Peace’s operations.

“I want to tell you that this October, we will start our Abuja-London Heathrow flights,” Onyema declared. “The British authorities have granted Air Peace Heathrow. This shows belief in what we are doing.”

Recall in July 2024, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had emphasized the need for reciprocity in air services and communicated with his UK counterpart to activate London Heathrow slots for Nigerian airlines. The Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed by both countries provides for reciprocity. However, Keyamo had questioned why UK carriers choose prime Nigerian routes while giving Nigerian airlines second-tier airports.

Keyamo stressed that without reciprocity, Nigerian airlines won’t get the connectivity needed. When they access Heathrow, they can buy many tickets, and local airlines can codeshare with others. 

Meanwhile, to sustain this new route and enhance overall network strength, Air Peace is acquiring additional aircraft. The wide-body Boeing 777 will support operations to both London and China, while the narrow-body Boeing 737 Next Generation will be deployed on the South Africa route.

“The Abuja-London Heathrow service is not just symbolic. It opens up international access to Nigerians outside Lagos,” Onyema emphasized. “We plan four flights to Heathrow and three to Gatwick weekly, depending on market demand.”

As part of the Air Peace global expansion strategy, the airline will also restart suspended routes. These include destinations such as Dubai, India, South Africa, and China, which were paused due to operational challenges rather than diplomatic constraints.

Explaining the Dubai suspension, Onyema said the route became unsustainable after the UAE’s visa ban on Nigerian citizens. Although the ban has been relaxed, traffic remains significantly below commercial viability. He noted that Air Peace is exploring its interline agreement with Emirates to re-establish connectivity.

For India, Onyema explained that Air Peace halted operations to Mumbai due to its commitment to the London route launch. However, he confirmed plans to re-enter India via Delhi, where there is higher passenger demand. “We tried switching from Mumbai to Delhi previously but were denied. We are now reapplying,” he explained.

The airline is also gearing up to return to South Africa. The suspension there occurred when Air Peace’s Embraer aircraft went offline. However, services are expected to resume by July once the Boeing 737NG arrives. Onyema pointed out that South Africa’s visa regime remains restrictive, even for crew members, and called for improved diplomacy on the matter.

Meanwhile, the China route will resume in months with the addition of a fourth Boeing 777, currently undergoing livery work in Europe. The carrier had paused China operations temporarily and intends to restart with twice-weekly frequencies.

In addition to these resumptions, Air Peace plans to launch new services into Caribbean destinations by September. Onyema said this initiative aligns with the airline’s commitment to serve the Nigerian diaspora. “We flew to St. Kitts and Jamaica already and will do more. Our fourth B777 supports our China and Caribbean plans,” he stated.

Onyema attributed the momentum to Keyamo’s advocacy, especially in unlocking dry lease opportunities for Nigerian airlines. He noted that for over a decade, Nigerian carriers lacked access to such leasing models that are standard elsewhere in the aviation world.

“This is a game changer,” Onyema declared. “For the first time in over ten years, dry-leased aircraft will start entering Nigeria in weeks.” He praised Keyamo for restoring investor confidence through global engagement, especially at international aviation summits in Dublin.

He further noted that most major airlines globally operate with leased fleets, unlike Nigerian airlines which often purchase aircraft outright. “Foreign airlines with 100 planes may only own five. Nigerian airlines like Air Peace own 35, yet face unfair criticism,” Onyema remarked.

He urged policymakers and the public to support indigenous airlines working under difficult financial and regulatory conditions. “Air Peace represents Nigeria proudly and deserves institutional backing,” he said.

As part of broader development efforts, Onyema also called for infrastructural upgrades at Nigerian airports, especially to support seamless regional and international transits. He criticized the current system where travellers connecting through Lagos must undergo full immigration, customs, and quarantine processes.

“A passenger flying from Accra to the Caribbean through Lagos must clear immigration and pay over $400 before continuing,” he said. “This discourages international traffic and undermines hub potential.”

He called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to designate controlled transit zones within major terminals. According to him, such zones will ease connections and make Nigeria more competitive regionally. “Let us create temporary but functional transit areas for international passengers, particularly on African and Caribbean routes,” he added.

The Air Peace global expansion demonstrates the airline’s growing footprint in international aviation. Onyema expressed confidence that with modern aircraft, route diversity, and governmental support, Air Peace is rewriting the narrative of Nigerian carriers globally.

“We’re showing that a Nigerian airline can compete at the highest level. We are proud to raise the national flag,” he concluded.