Nigeria Allen Onyema: Gatwick Airport Accused of Hindering Air Peace's London Operations

Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace, has accused Gatwick Airport of employing delaying tactics in granting the airline slots to operate on the Lagos to London route between October and December. Speaking at the 48th Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Onyema revealed that while other airlines were already selling tickets for December, Air Peace was unable to do so due to the delay in securing slots from Gatwick Airport. He characterized this delay as part of the 'dirty tricks' aimed at impeding Air Peace's operations on the Lagos-London route.

Onyema highlighted Air Peace's unique advantage of providing connectivity from various states in Nigeria to London via Lagos Airport, resulting in significant cost savings for passengers. He emphasized that Nigerian airlines had faced challenges on the London route, which Air Peace had sought to address, and attributed the airline's endurance on the route to its proactive measures, including media exposure of alleged practices by Gatwick and other airlines.

Additionally, Onyema addressed obstacles faced by Air Peace in operating flights to other African countries, citing exorbitant airport charges and regulatory hurdles. He lamented the disparity in treatment between Nigerian and foreign airlines, with some African countries imposing excessive charges and bureaucratic barriers on Air Peace's operations while enjoying unhindered access to Nigeria.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, represented by Hassan Tai Ejibunu, underscored the importance of integrating African economies through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and emphasized the role of associations like NANTA in facilitating intra-Africa business and tourism. Susan Akporaiye, speaking on behalf of NANTA, highlighted the association's efforts to address challenges such as high fares and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel industry through collaboration with government and stakeholders and innovation in revenue generation.