Finally, Air Peace Gets UK Authorization for Flights to Heathrow Airport

Air Peace, the premier airline of Nigeria, is poised to initiate flights to London Heathrow Airport, following a protracted period of diplomatic negotiations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced this advancement through a statement on his official X page on Saturday.

Keyamo revealed that Nigeria has finally secured a coveted Heathrow slot for Air Peace under the bilateral air services agreement (BASA) with the UK.

“My esteemed compatriots, after numerous diplomatic exchanges and negotiations, asserting our reciprocal rights under our Bilateral Air Services Agreement, we are delighted to announce that Nigeria has at last obtained the esteemed Heathrow slot for one of our flag carriers, Air Peace,” Keyamo stated.

This triumph follows persistent pressure from the Nigerian government on UK authorities regarding the “consistent denial” of Heathrow slots for Air Peace, despite repeated appeals.

In a letter dated August 1, 2024, addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Keyamo cautioned that Nigeria would be compelled to implement reciprocal measures — including denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic access to Lagos and Abuja airports — if Air Peace continued to be refused Heathrow slots.

The minister characterized the situation as “deeply disheartening,” noting that although Air Peace commenced UK operations from Gatwick Airport in March 2024, Heathrow has always been the airline’s preferred hub due to its proximity to central London.

“The airline has consistently endeavored to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos but was denied, and only granted permission to fly into Gatwick Airport,” Keyamo wrote in the letter obtained by TheCable.

He stated that the issue intensified after the federal government sanctioned a new Abuja–London route for Air Peace, and the airline once again approached the UK slot office for Heathrow access for its winter operations, set to begin in November 2024.

In response to Nigeria’s protest, Haigh assured Keyamo that her department would be amenable to further discussions, particularly at the International Civil Aviation Negotiations (ICAN) forum held in October 2024.

With Saturday’s announcement, Keyamo affirmed that both nations have now reached an accord, enabling Air Peace to broaden its international presence.

He added that the federal government remains steadfast in supporting all Nigerian airlines while ensuring that they adhere to global standards.

“We are committed to extending similar support to all our local operators, which is a central element of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the minister stated.

“However, we will also hold them to the highest standards in terms of delivering exemplary services to the flying public.”

Keyamo did not disclose when Air Peace will commence flights to London Heathrow Airport.

On March 30, 2024, Air Peace initiated direct flight operations from Lagos to Gatwick Airport in London.