Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has announced that Air Peace will commence direct flights from Abuja to London Heathrow Airport starting October 26.
The disclosure was made in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Tunde Moshood.
According to him, the landmark achievement follows sustained diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government to enforce reciprocity in international air travel agreements.
The minister said that the breakthrough was the result of a strongly worded letter from the ministry dated Aug. 1, 2024, to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh.
In the correspondence, Keyamo demanded the immediate allocation of landing slots at Heathrow for Air Peace or risk reciprocal action.
Reciprocity threats played a role
The reciprocal action, he said, included a potential review of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic’s access to Lagos and Abuja airports.
He reiterated that Nigeria was only asserting its rights under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between both nations, which guarantees reciprocal access and fair treatment for designated flag carriers.
He said after months of negotiations and firm diplomatic engagement, the UK authorities acceded to Nigeria’s demand, granting Air Peace the long-awaited Heathrow slot.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a significant diplomatic milestone for Nigeria.
“It sends a clear message that we are serious about enforcing the terms of our bilateral agreements and protecting the commercial interests of our indigenous carriers,” the minister said.
In line with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
Keyamo further emphasized that the move aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places high priority on creating an enabling environment for Nigerian businesses to thrive globally.
He said that Air Peace had earlier launched its inaugural direct flight from Lagos to London Gatwick Airport in March 2024, marking its entry into the highly competitive UK aviation market.
According to him, with the move to Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest and most prestigious airports, the airline is expected to significantly expand its international footprint and provide Nigerian travellers with greater convenience and connectivity.
Keyamo noted that the development also signals a new chapter in Nigeria-UK aviation relations and sets a precedent for stronger enforcement of bilateral agreements to benefit national carriers.
What you should know
Nairametrics earlier reported that the Federal Government has secured a landing slot at Heathrow Airport in London for Air Peace following months of diplomatic negotiations under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
- Air Peace officially entered the UK aviation market in March 2024 with the launch of its Lagos–London Gatwick route.
- The airline disrupted the market by introducing significantly lower fares, with economy class tickets starting from N1.2 million, far below the N3 million to N5 million typically charged by foreign carriers.
- Business class fares also undercut the competition, beginning at N4.5 million and making premium international travel more accessible for Nigerian passengers.
With the upcoming launch of its Abuja–London Heathrow service on October 26, 2024, Air Peace is set to deepen its international footprint. The addition of Heathrow strengthens the airline’s transcontinental network and marks another strategic step in its growing presence in the UK aviation market.
