Nigeria's Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has formally requested landing slots for Air Peace at London Heathrow Airport, citing ongoing denials. He warns of potential restrictions on British Airways if the situation does not improve, highlighting the need for reciprocal arrangements under the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement.
The recent diplomatic correspondence from Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has brought significant attention to the ongoing challenges faced by Air Peace in securing landing slots at London Heathrow Airport. In a letter dated August 1, 2024, addressed to UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, Keyamo expressed Nigeria's dissatisfaction with the UK aviation authorities for consistently denying Air Peace access to the primary airport, forcing the airline to operate from the less convenient Gatwick Airport instead.
Keyamo warned that failure to allocate slots for Air Peace would lead Nigeria to reciprocate by restricting British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from operating at Lagos and Abuja airports. This statement reflects a growing frustration over perceived inequities in the aviation agreements between the two nations. Both countries are signatories to a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA), which emphasizes mutual benefits and reciprocal access.
Industry experts have pointed out that Air Peace missed two crucial deadlines for slot requests for the upcoming Northern Summer and Winter scheduling seasons, complicating its position further. Despite this, Keyamo emphasized that Nigerian airlines should enjoy similar privileges as their UK counterparts, arguing that fairness demands equal access to major airports.
The ongoing discussions highlight the need for diplomatic engagement to resolve these issues. Stakeholders are calling for a more collaborative approach to ensure that both nations benefit from their aviation agreements.
