Onyema said while other airlines are already selling December tickets, Air Peace can’t sell them at the moment because Gatwick Airport has yet to give it a slot to operate between October and December. He described this as part of the ‘dirty tricks’ played on the Lagos-London route to fight Air Peace.

Onyema who disclosed this during the 48th Annual General Meeting and exhibition of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) at Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja, said the advantage Air Peace has over other airlines is that Air Peace is flying people from states in Nigeria to London via the Lagos airport, thereby saving passengers over N200,000 they would have paid on local destinations after arriving at Lagos airport.

“We studied to find out why Nigerian airlines failed on the London route, we knew the issues and addressed them. It is not the fault of Nigerian airlines. If I didn’t go to the media to expose what Gatwick and other airlines were doing to us, we would not have lasted on the Lagos-London route for two weeks,” he said.

Speaking on how to use the Single Africa Air Transport Market, (SAATM) to unlock Africa’s economic potential, he said that apart from Ghana, all other African countries where Air Peace operates, have continued to use exorbitant airport charges to frustrate Air Peace from operating in the African market.

Onyema said that while these African countries operate flights into Nigeria unhindered, whenever Air Peace shows interest in also operating flights into their countries, they write to Air Peace not to come.

He further disclosed that when Air Peace challenges this decision in court, the countries would reluctantly allow Air Peace to operate but afterwards use exorbitant airport charges to frustrate the airline.

“It took us four years to get approval to fly into a West African country but their airline has been coming into Nigeria for many years. When we eventually started flying, they wanted to chase us away with exorbitant airport charges. They told us to pay $12,000 per landing. We cannot implement SAATM in a lopsided way and expect it to work.

“Some countries we fly into send us bills running into millions of euros. When we ask them how we incurred the bill, they won’t respond. We made payment, and after making payment, they told us the account we paid into no longer exists and we needed to make a fresh payment. I have never seen a country as welcoming as Nigeria but we are being stigmatised in other countries,” Onyema said.

He also disclosed that another African country asked Air Peace to pay 4 million euros as charges incurred but when Air Peace asked them how they arrived at the charges, they got judgement against Air Peace in a French court.

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of aviation and aerospace development who was represented by Hassan Tai Ejibunu, director, Air Transport management, minister of aviation and aerospace development said the theme of this year’s AGM and Exhibition, ‘Unlocking Africa’s Economic Potential: Travel and Tourism as Catalyst for Intra-Africa Business, Investment, and Trade,’ is very apt as it is sync with the visionary thought of African leaders to integrate and facilitate trade and investment among the 55 countries of the African Union and eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in the continent, through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

AfCFTA, he said, is the world’s largest free trade area, whose objective includes the free movement of people and capital. With a combined GDP of an estimated US$3.4 trillion, the pact links 1.4 billion people living in different parts of the continent.

Keyamo said the underlying objectives behind the creation of AfCTFA cannot be totally achieved without the contribution of associations like NANTA on the continent, as they facilitate the movement of people, goods, and services.

He said the 5 Point Agenda, which are in tandem with the renewed Hope Agenda of the President, are: “Ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s rating by ICAO, support for the growth and sustenance of local businesses whilst holding them to the highest international standard in the aviation industry, improve infrastructure in the aviation industry, develop human capacity within the industry; and optimize revenue generation for the federal government.”

Also speaking at the event, Susan Akporaiye, said when NANTA was confronted by the high fare pandemic out of Nigeria, it reasoned with the government and stakeholders to address the issue.

Akporaiye also hinted that during the COVID pandemic, it trained and retrained members for innovation on new streams of income.

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He claimed that these carriers are deliberately undercutting airfares on the route as part of a scheme to push Air Peace out of international operations.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Allen Onyema asserted the existence of an “unspoken alliance” among foreign airlines.

He alleged that these airlines are employing lower pricing strategies with the aim of forcing Air Peace off the Nigeria-London route.

“If they take out Air Peace prematurely, this country will pay dearly for it, 10 times over, billions will be lost, and there will be another heavy strain on the naira. We are being deliberately frustrated in all ways,” he said, citing groundhandling and space allocation difficulties at Gatwick Airport in the last couple of days.

“It’s a very devilish conspiracy. All of a sudden, (foreign) airlines are underpricing, below the cost, it’s not up to one month, an airline was advertising $100, another one was $305, $350. Fill up the entire aircraft and carry people on the wings, it’s not even enough to buy your fuel. So, why are they doing that? Their governments are supporting them because Nigeria has been a cash cow for everybody.

“Their governments are supporting them to do this and take Air Peace out. The idea is to take Air Peace out, and the moment they succeed in taking Air Peace out, Nigerians will pay 20 times over again.”

The airline boss invites other Nigerian airlines to join the Nigeria-UK route to break the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by foreign carriers operating into the four major gateway airports of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt.

“I invite other Nigerian airlines to join the fray, let them come, let all of us do international operations. Yes, international aeropolitics is very dirty but somebody must pay the price,” he said.

Onyema expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and Minister Keyamo for being “solidly behind” Air Peace even as the airline navigates the political side of operating to London.

Recall that on March 30, 2024, Air Peace commenced direct flight operations from Lagos to Gatwick Airport in London.

The development has been applauded by many industry observers who view it as a positive step forward.

Encouraged by Air Peace’s initiative, there is growing support for other local airlines to consider launching international flights to lucrative routes, thus expanding opportunities and competition in the aviation sector.

Before then, the price of international flight tickets on the Lagos-London route had soared to as much as N3.5 million. However, following Air Peace’s introduction of a return economy class ticket priced at N1.2 million, foreign carriers like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Qatar Airways found themselves compelled to significantly reduce their fares in order to remain competitive in the market.

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Onyema spoke in an interview with TVC News on Wednesday about the importance of Nigerians having faith in their national currency.

He said, “I support what Mr. Cardoso (Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso) said. Mr. Cardoso once said that the whole thing is artificial and that the naira has more value than it’s been projected, and I believe him.

“Go to London, if you earn £2000 a month in London, you are a pauper because what the £2000 can afford you is like N2000 because a Nigerian will sit down here and calculate 2000 to a pound and think he can have like N4 million.

“The person earning N200,000 in Nigeria is better. You can have a maid, and you can have a driver.

“What I am trying to say is, we should stop stigmatising our country, we must love our country, we must fight for it; and we must support private investments.”

Onyema added that airlines needed free access to dollars, saying that the government needed to make that more realistic.

He continued, “We need government support for Nigerian airlines. Everything about aviation is in dollars. If you don’t have access to dollars, you cannot move forward. Remember, these airlines were competing abroad, they access loans in their countries at 3 percent. In Nigeria, I am getting my loan at 30 percent.

“At the same time, the Nigerian airline is dead on arrival when it comes to insurance. They stigmatise my country because insurance is done abroad. So what we use to ensure one aircraft is what those bigger airlines all over the world will use to ensure about eight aircraft.

“Another way of supporting the airlines is the removal of the city hopping we’re doing in this country. We’re putting a strain on the naira. President Tinubu knows that the multi-city hopping of foreign airlines into his country is creating problems for him.

“The president should call for immediate review of these bilateral air services agreements (BASA). It is not even supposed to be a part of BASA. Countries don’t do it.

“In my country, they do city hopping and at the end of the day, these foreign airlines amass a lot of money and put strain on the dollar and the naira and they start blackmailing the country.”

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Onyema spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television.

The CEO said the country does not need a national airline owing to the difficulties of running such a business.

“Does Nigeria actually need a national carrier? It’s an emphatic no,” he said.

“The national carrier thing connotes government ownership. The government has no business doing the business of commercial airline operations.

“The national carrier thing is a moribund idea that has been jettisoned several decades ago by countries.”

According to Onyema, several airlines that bear country names are just “flag carriers” and are not owned by nations as many may have assumed.

“In the olden days, they used to be [owned by governments] but they are all divested. They are all flag carriers,” he said, adding “Why is my country going backwards? In 2023, talking about national carrier?”

Onyema said he believes the few African countries with national carriers are those “that cannot afford business entrepreneurs with the right funding.

In May this year, the ministry of aviation, under Hadi Sirika, former minister, unveiled Nigeria Air — three days before the end of the administration.

However, the move steered several reactions and was enmeshed in controversy.

Two months after President Bola Tinubu took over power, the federal government announced that the project was suspended.

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This time it is not the expansion of its fleets as has been the case, rather the private carrier made a remarkable entry into the European air space after securing Foreign Carrier Operator Permit, FCOP, to fly to London.

This permit allows airlines from other regions to fly to Europe and Third Country Operator Permit (TCO-UK) that enables airlines to operate to UK.

The airline, founded in 2013 will now operate direct flights with its luxury wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft to these destinations.

While commenting on the milestone, Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, stated that the airline has secured Foreign Carrier Operator Permit, FCOP, which allows airlines from other regions to fly to Europe and Third Country Operator Permit (TCO-UK) that enables airlines to operate to UK.

He said: “We obtained these permits that qualify us to fly to UK. Before you obtain these approvals, they will audit you very well. You have to go through stringent audit, which we passed. We obtained the permit last week.”

The airline also expanded its Asian footprints with the commencement of direct scheduled commercial flights into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural flight, operated with one of the airline’s B777s, was airborne from Kano last Tuesday, with 231 passengers.

Air Peace, before now, had been operating charter flights to Saudi Arabia, airlifting Muslim pilgrims. But this inaugural flight officially kicked off its scheduled operations into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Onyema, described the entry into Jeddah as ‘another milestone recorded in the annals of Nigeria’s aviation history’, stating that Jeddah is the airline’s sixth international destination in just nine years of launching commercial flight operations.

He noted that with the entry into Jeddah, Air Peace has increased its presence on the Asian continent.

 Our encounters – Onyema

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that in the last three years, the airline has been striving to commence scheduled operations through the route but has been hindered by several challenges ranging from infrastructural gaps, government policies, landing permits among others.

For instance, during the evacuation flights at the peak of the covid pandemic, Air Peace struggled to get a landing permit into Heathrow airport to help Nigerians.

However, after government intervention, the airline got the permit and tickets were sold out within two hours for a 364-seater aircraft with its Boeing triple seven, B777.

In response to the development, Onyema noted that the reason for the immediate sales was a function of pricing dynamics.

According to him, “It is because Air Peace understood the plight of Nigerians and fixed its fare at less than N400, 000, while another airline coming from there was taking about two thousand pounds from Nigeria.

“We charged Nigerians less than six hundred dollars to and fro. We went there and they tried to discourage us. They sent dogs after our aircraft to sniff at our pilots and at the end of the day, they stopped Air Peace from doing its walk-around on its aircraft, something that violates safety.

“The rule of aviation is that when you take off and your aircraft leaves the ground for just two minutes if that plane wants to land, before that plane can take off again, it must do a walk around because anything could have hit the plane in transit.

“We flew six hours into London but we were not allowed to go round our aircraft to know if it has been compromised. Thankfully, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, petitioned the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) over that.”

In reaction to this, Human right activist, Femi Falana, SAN, called for the immediate suspension of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flight operations into Nigeria.

He stated that the suspension should be lifted only when Air Peace is allowed to also fly on the Lagos-London route in accordance with the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, signed by Nigeria and United Kingdom.

He said: “Air Peace has proven it has the capacity to operate on international routes. The airline currently flies to China, Israel, India and South Africa among others using modern aircraft comparable to those of its foreign competitors.

“If Air Peace is not allowed to fly to London, then British Airways and Virgin Atlantic should be stopped from flying to Nigeria. Air Peace has a fleet of modern long-haul and regional aircraft that can match those of other foreign airlines operating into Nigeria.”

Airline to struggle for relevance — Experts

Meanwhile, stakeholders have commended the airline on its milestone, stressing that Air Peace may struggle if government does not lend support.

According to a former military Commandant at the MMA, Capt. John Ojikutu, this is a good development for Air Peace. Securing this route as a private airline is never easy.

He said: “Air Peace flying to that route without government support will not provide for them the expected benefits. They will pay a lot of money as a private airline on that route.

“It’s sad that we have for too long not taken advantage of the location of Nigeria to be a middle hub for East and South Africa to the US and to some extent, the UK.

“Recently, South Africa Airways and Rwanda Air started planning flights to the US through some west Africa countries. Because we are not taking these advantage, other countries are taking them away from us. Has anyone in the administration of our government and the Agencies been sincere with the reasons for multiple destinations for the foreign airlines in Nigeria?

“All these marketing gaps in our commercial aviation are what the foreign airlines are tapping from us. These are caused by those in the administration of our government and the management of the agencies and I call it Institutional Corruption.

“Many continental and regional airlines are going to come so long we are what we are everyone for his pocket, institutional corruption.”

Also, the Chairman, West Link Airlines, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia, stated that “Nigeria airlines have not been able to get connectivity to that route for a while, and Air Peace securing that route is an achievement.

“We have not been respected as regards to BASA reciprocity. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic get 21 frequencies to Nigeria, and we had none.

“The means that our governments have thrown us under the bus all these while. I believe that two things were responsible for the delay in reciprocity. In the case of Air Peace it is possible that they did not get the federal government support to fly that route.

“In Nigeria, we are not growing with the rest of the world. Those in government are not doing the right things. Our problems are too many and we’re not working on getting things right.”

 FG yet to pay Air Peace $10m debt

While speaking on other challenges, Onyema lamented that Nigerian airlines cannot obtain dollars even from the CBN, disclosing that Air Peace paid CBN naira to obtain about $14 million dollars for the maintenance of its 15 aircraft at maintenance facilities overseas but that money has not been made available to the airline since the past six months.

He also recalled that the federal government owed Air Peace about $10 million and also owed other Nigerian carriers that operated the Hajj service, noting that these debts impair the operations of the airline and others.

Onyema therefore urged CBN to provide the foreign exchange so that Air Peace could bring back its aircraft that were ferried overseas for maintenance.

“We ferried 15 of our aircraft for maintenance overseas. We needed dollars to pay for the maintenance; so, we paid naira to CBN, which is equivalent of $14 million needed to pay and bring the aircraft back to Nigeria after the checks.

“We have not received this money. This is money we borrowed at 26 per cent interest rate but six months have passed and we are yet to get this money from CBN. The total debts we are expected to be paid to us from the CBN is $24 million. This is why we said that what we need is conducive environment and Nigerian airlines will blossom.

“If these monies are made available to us and other airlines, Nigerian carriers will do very well. Nigerian airlines have capacity, what we need is support from our government,” Onyema said.

Onyema further stated that contrary to what many in the industry think; Nigerian airlines have capacity, noting that for the first time in years Nigerian airlines are ordering brand new aircraft from the manufacturers.

He stated that Air Peace made firm order of 33 aircraft and purchase right of 17 aircraft, which brings the airline’s total order to 50.

“These include 15 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 10, firm order of 13 Embraer E195-E2 and purchase right of 17 of the same aircraft type and firm order of five Embraer E175 and delivery of these aircraft would start early next year in addition to the five brand new Embraer E195-E2 already delivered.

“The jobs one small Nigerian airline provides are more than the jobs provided by all foreign airlines in Nigeria, so the federal government should deem it very important supporting Nigerian airlines,” he said.

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The airline had earlier made firm order for 13 Embraer E195-E2, 15 Boeing MAX and has now ordered five of the Embraer E175.

Out of the orders made, Air Peace has already received five Embraer E195-E2, while the rest of the E195-E2 will be delivered early 2025.

While announcing its latest order, the Brazil-based aircraft manufacturing company, Embraer, stated that Nigeria-based Air Peace, West Africa’s largest airline, has placed a firm order for five Embraer E175 aircraft.

“The strategic decision marks a significant step forward and is in alignment with Air Peace’s ongoing strategy of modernising its fleet. This acquisition is in line with Air Peace’s determination to become the operator of the largest and youngest fleet of aircraft in Africa. It reinforces Air Peace’s commitment to enhancing its domestic and regional network connectivity and paves the way for further regional expansion. Deliveries of the 88 seat aircraft start in 2024. The value of the order, at list price, is $288.3m,” Embraer said in a statement.

Embraer noted that Air Peace is already an operator of Embraer’s newest and largest jet, the E195-E2, noting that these smaller aircraft will complement the airlines’ existing fleet, allowing Air Peace to dynamically match capacity to demand, protecting yields and route viability.

The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said: “This is another important step in helping to realize our ambition to connect the whole of Nigeria with the entire African continent, while also feeding passengers into long-haul flights from our Lagos hub. The acquisition enables us to continue delivering on our ‘no-city-left-behind’ initiative – connectivity is what our passengers, and Africa, demand. The deal also paves the way to establish local maintenance capabilities in Nigeria, with direct support from Embraer.”

Head of Africa and Middle East Region, Commercial Aviation, Stephan Hannemann, said: “Air Peace’s strategic and innovative approach continues to make them a powerhouse of aviation success in West Africa. Already an E2 operator, it now makes sense to upgauge their ERJ145 fleet, offering passengers more seats and comfort with the E175. The commonality of the cockpits between the E1 and E2 fleet also simplifies aircrew costs and management.

“Acknowledging Air Peace’s significant investment in the acquisition of the Embraer fleet of aircraft, which has increased to 18 brand new firm aircraft to date, Embraer, in partnership with Air Peace is committed to directly supporting the establishment of local maintenance capabilities in Nigeria.”

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This means that Embraer, which is an aircraft maker, will assist Air Peace in setting up the airline’s maintenance facility in the country for Nigerian and international fleets.

Allen Onyema, chief executive officer (CEO) of Air Peace, disclosed this at the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition, held on Thursday in Abuja.

He Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation, had given instructions that any Nigerian airline that wants to bring in brand new planes must also think of its ability to maintain those planes within Nigeria.

“In line with our Air Peace fleet modernisation policy, we’ve just signed a further acquisition, a further order of 10 E175 with a firm order for five and (another) five on purchase rights. That’s what we’ve just signed,” Onyema said.

“Now, with this signature today, we’ve ordered 35 brand new Embraer planes. Remember, we had signed 30 before, which five of them have entered into the country.

“Part of the things we signed today is that Embraer is going to help set up the maintenance center in Nigeria and it will be set up with immediate effect.

“So, this decision will help our national reserves and help conserve the forex of airlines in Africa when this comes to fruition.”

Meanwhile, the Embraer management said the value of the maintenance deal is $300 million, adding that deliveries would start in 2024.

“Ever since we started this relationship in 2017, it has been smooth and great, and today it’s a momentous day. This transaction costs $300 million, with the airline moving forward,” the management said.

“The first two aircraft will be delivered next year. The airline needs to grow. As the business moves forward, we need to work together, and the maintenance will create jobs and drive investment. And we will move forward with Air Peace to drive this growth.”

Also speaking at the event, Keyamo said the ministry will assist every local operator to develop.

“I’m here today deliberately even though it is a private initiative, a private company in Nigeria but I’m here deliberately to show my support for the growth, sustenance, and survival of our local operators in Nigeria,” the minister said.

“I’m looking forward to any other private airline. If you reach any milestone and you are doing anything very important, invite me, I will also be there because I’m here for everyone.”

Keyamo, however, reiterated that the government has strict measures in place to ensure the safety of airlines, and that any operator who violates these rules will be punished.

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This is coming barely 24 hours after the airline commenced flight to Lome, Togo.

In furtherance to his commitment towards dominating the region, the airline is also eyeing operations to Cotonou, Benin Republic, Abidjan, Cote d’ ivoire, Congo, Kinshasa and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

Air Peace also honoured Nigeria’s 1976 Olympics Game and 1980 AFCON National football teams in Lagos.

However, while announcing the kick off operation during the reception to honour Nigeria sport teams weekend, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace, Allen Onyema, stated that Houston and London flights will commence in October, 2023

According to Onyema, the Ministry of Aviation recently contacted him on the Houston and London flights after a meeting held with government and officials of their Aviation authorities.

“And now London is beckoning before October or there about. Just recently the minister of Aviation contacted me on the Houston just about few days ago on the meeting they held in Houston and they are now calling on Air Peace to do that route, both America and wherever we are flying.

“We have the capacity to do more legacy routes like Atlanta, New York when international aero politics permits. We are very ready and these routes are coming very soon.

“Other African and international routes will follow subsequently. We have the capacity to fly to anywhere in the world.

“We are currently flying to Guangzhou China, Johannesburg, Mumbai India, Jeddah, Tell Aviv,” Onyema added.

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the airline boss had lamented on the Nigeria’s government failure to play aero politics and support Nigerian airlines and also the attitude of foreign countries Nigeria signed Bi-lateral Air Services Agreement, BASA with.

It has been challenging for Nigerian carriers designated on international routes to get BASA reciprocation in some countries like they get in Nigeria.

For instance, this attitude by most foreign countries was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic period when Air Peace meant with a brick in the United Kingdom attempting to evacuate stranded Nigerians in that country.

The UK Government had denied Air Peace aircraft a landing permit. They were initially scheduled to depart Heathrow Airport, London, with about 584 passengers, until the UK’s withdrawal of diplomatic landing clearance, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

About a fortnight earlier Air Peace airline had evacuated over 300 Nigerians from the UK and the reason for the change of heart till this day is unknown.

But Air Peace boss who expressed sadness over the development after arrangements had been completed stated that, the UK authorities had to withdraw landing rights close to departure. That was despite strong representations by the Nigerian Government, including pointing out the hardship that would be caused to hundreds of Nigerian evacuees.

It could also be recalled during that same period that, the Canadian Government also displayed a similar attitude when it stopped the evacuation of 200 Nigerians because the Canadian Government had a preferred airline to do the job more expensive than was charged by Air Peace.

Thus the airline was denied the landing right permits and had to refund monies collected from the evacuees.

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Zikrullah Hassan, chairman of NAHCON, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja, according to a statement by Mousa Ubandawaki, the commission’s deputy director, information and publications.

Last week, the four airlines had declined to sign the agreement to transport prospective pilgrims due to the closure of the Sudan airspace over the ongoing crisis — a route for the airlines.

Hassan had said the airlines are Max Air (16,326 allocation), Air Peace (11,348), Azman Air (8,660) and Aero Contractors (7,833), adding that only Flynas, the Saudi Arabian designated airline, signed the agreement to transport 28,515 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on the new development, Hassan complimented the local airlines’ patriotic fervour and their sacrifices in the face of the challenges posed by the Sudan crisis.

“We are not unmindful of the challenge posed by the closure of the Sudan airspace to your Hajj operation,” he said.

“However, I wish to appeal to your conscience and sense of patriotism not to further burden the pilgrims with additional costs or changes.”

On his part, Ado Sanusi, managing director of Aero Contractors, said the airlines were mindful of the plight of pilgrims who had earlier paid their Hajj fare before the crisis broke out.

“But we are constrained to take that decision because of logistical and operational needs. We would not like anything that will disrupt our operation halfway,” he said.

In the same vein, Allen Onyema, the chairman of Air Peace, said their call for the review of the transportation agreement with NAHCON was not to exploit the Sudan crisis for business gains or opportunities.

“We care for the Nigerian pilgrims, many of whom we know to have made personal sacrifices in paying for Hajj,” he said.

“We are also mindful of the fact that the pilgrims had already paid before this crisis broke out.

“We do not want to deprive them of this opportunity to make the journey to the holy land. We are doing it for national pride.”

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