One Year Later: Air Peace’s Impact on Nigeria-UK Air Travel
Tomorrow marks exactly one year since Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest flag carrier, launched its competitive Lagos-London route. Given that no Nigerian airline had operated this lucrative corridor for years, the excitement surrounding the historic launch was unmistakable. From travel agents to passengers, the message was loud and clear: Fly Air Peace. Fly Nigeria. Fly our own.
On its maiden voyage, the airline enjoyed overwhelming support from Nigerians, filling 260 of the 274 available seats. The inaugural flight to London Gatwick carried notable figures, including United Nigeria Airlines founder Obiora Okonkwo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, businessman Obi Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), former NBA President Olumide Apata, and Nollywood stars like Uche Jombo, Chioma Akpotha, Ufuoma McDermott, and Omoni Oboli.
The Competitive London Route
The Lagos-London route has hosted several Nigerian carriers in the past, including Virgin Nigeria (2005-2009) and Med-View Airlines, which briefly operated in 2017. However, financial challenges forced these airlines to withdraw, leaving the market to foreign carriers—until Air Peace entered the scene in March 2024.
The Price Revolution
Before Air Peace launched its operations, foreign airlines charged as much as ₦3 million for a round-trip economy ticket. But with Air Peace setting its fares at ₦1.2 million, international carriers were forced to slash their prices, bringing economy fares down to an average of ₦1.4 million.
For instance, British Airways (BA) previously charged ₦3 million for Economy Class and ₦11 million for Business Class. With Air Peace in the picture, BA dropped its fares to ₦1.7 million for Economy and ₦6.8 million for Business Class.
This development prompted industry stakeholders to rally behind Air Peace, urging Nigerians to support the airline. Former Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Benedict Adeyileka, remarked:
“We have suffered and been overcharged for too long. Why were foreign airlines charging us between ₦2 million and ₦3 million for tickets that are now less than ₦1 million?”
However, aviation consultant Babafemi Adeniji cautioned against labeling this a “price war,” suggesting that Air Peace’s pricing strategy was an introductory offer to attract cost-conscious travelers.
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