Air Peace: We Maintain Positive Relationship with Gatwick Airport

Chinedu Eze

Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace has stated that it has never accused Gatwick Airport of ‘dirty tricks’ on its winter slot allocation for 2024, insisting that it maintains positive and cooperative relationship with Gatwick Airport authorities.

The airline made this known in a statement over the weakened, saying that its Chairman and CEO, Dr Allen Onyema, did not use such expression against the airport.

“It has come to our attention that certain online publications have misrepresented comments attributed to our Chairman, Dr. Allen Onyema, regarding the slot allocation process at Gatwick Airport for the upcoming Winter season. To set the record straight, Dr. Onyema did not make any allegations of ‘dirty tricks’ during his recent address at the 48th National Association Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Annual General Meeting. When questioned about the absence of November and December flight schedules for the London route, he simply explained that Air Peace is awaiting slot allocation from Gatwick Airport for the Winter period.

“At no point during the NANTA (National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies) event did Dr. Onyema accuse Gatwick Airport of engaging in any unethical practices. We maintain a positive and cooperative relationship with Gatwick Airport authorities, and any insinuation of discord is unfounded,” the airline said.

In another development, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon. Gaston Alfonso Browne, has commended Air Peace for the airline’s trail-blazing strides, especially the recent commencement of direct flights to London. This is as the Prime Minister has also wooed Nigeria’s business community to invest in his two-island Caribbean nation.

Browne made the statement at a high-level business forum held in Lagos at the weekend.

The forum had in attendance captains of industry, the Management of Air Peace, former NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, ex Nigerian footballer, Segun Odegbami, aviators and representatives of the Lagos State Government.

The Prime Minister, who lauded the Chairman of Air Peace, for his game-changing business moves, congratulated the airline for the recent London service and stated that his country looks forward to when Air Peace will begin scheduled direct flights into Antigua and Barbuda as this will drive socio-economic development and strengthen bilateral relations between both nations.

Onyema, in his opening remarks, called on the governments of Nigeria and Antigua and Barbuda to explore development opportunities for mutual benefits. He urged his fellow investors to consider investing in Antigua and Barbuda as he did with the LIAT 2020 Airline and has not regretted it.

“We are going long-haul with the government of Antigua and Barbuda, and in the coming weeks or months, the LIAT birds will hit the Caribbean skies. I have invested there. I cannot mislead you,” he disclosed.