June 18, (THEWILL) – West Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, has secured a coveted slot to operate direct flight services between Abuja and Heathrow Airport in London. The new international route is expected to commence operations in October 2025.
The airline, which currently operates the Lagos-Gatwick route, has maintained a flawless record on the international front for over a year, marking a significant milestone in Nigerian aviation.
Speaking during an interactive session with aviation journalists on Wednesday, Chairman of Air Peace, Dr Allen Onyema, confirmed that the airline had received approval from British authorities to begin operations to Heathrow and will also be relaunching its China service in the same period.
“Daily flights from Lagos to London are ongoing. Come October, we will begin flights from Abuja to London as well, having secured access to Heathrow. We deeply appreciate the support of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for making this possible,” Onyema stated.
He explained that the Abuja-London service will operate seven days a week, split between Heathrow and Gatwick—four flights to Heathrow and three to Gatwick weekly.
“If you are not good, foreign authorities won’t allow you to fly into their airspace commercially. We have upheld a strong safety record and have represented Nigeria excellently,” he added.
On the Asian front, Onyema revealed that Air Peace will relaunch its Nigeria–China service in October with twice-weekly flights to Guangzhou, using the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft.
Addressing other international operations, Onyema decried the challenges posed by South Africa’s visa regime, which he said was limiting the airline’s performance on that route.
“Our own pilots are even being denied visas to South Africa. The bureaucracy is frustrating passenger movement,” he said.
He also noted that Air Peace suspended its Dubai operations due to the visa ban imposed by the United Arab Emirates on Nigerian travellers. Although the ban has now been lifted, he said the airline is closely monitoring demand before resuming services.
“We know traffic is currently low, but we are watching the situation. Once demand improves, we will be ready,” he said.
Looking ahead, Onyema disclosed that Air Peace is expanding its global reach with plans for direct flights to the Caribbean, beginning with Antigua. He noted that the airline recently flew to St. Kitts and Nevis twice—once on June 12 and again this week.
“These were 20-hour round trips—10 hours each way. We tested cargo and passenger services, and the results were encouraging. We’re committed to opening up more long-haul routes for Nigerians,” he said.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
