Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace, yesterday recorded full load factor of 240 passengers on its inaugural flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to Guangzhou, China.
This is also as the airline disclosed plans to code-share with Asian carriers to distribute passengers to other destinations outside Guangzhou, China.
The airline operated the flight with one of its flagship aircract, Boeing B777 aircraft.
Speaking during the inaugural flight, Air Peace Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide said the airline has added the China destination has added Asia to its network of continents, with the commencement of initial one-weekly flight to Guangzhou-China.
Olajide said the Chinese airspace is not new to the carrier, as it has successfully operated several evacuation/special flights to the country at different times in the past, especially in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“So, we’re going into China, not as newcomers, but as an airline that is technically and operationally acclimatised with the Chinese terrain.
“The flying public, especially those that fly the Guangzhou route, should expect best-in-class flight experience, which is characteristic of the Air Peace brand. We’re not stopping with Guangzhou- India is next and Israel is in the works,” she said.
According to her, also planned for subsequent launch are Malabo in Equatorial Guinea and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stressing that Air Peace would continue to grow its route network as well as modernise its fleet strategically.
She said the carrier would have an interline arrangement with Asian carriers to help Air Peace carry passengers from Guangzhou to Shanghai and Beijing.
She also hinted that the Consultant is now open for more people to travel to China from Nigeria, following the lift on travel restrictions put by Chinese government before now.
Olajide hinted that when Air Peace set out for the trajectory in 2014, they envisaged an airline that would create massive employment for Nigerians and reduce the burden of air travel for Nigerians, and by extension, Africans, through the provision of affordable and peaceful connectivity across cities and continents.
She added that Air Peace has kept to this vision of providing seamless connections and expanding existing network to accommodate the evolving air travel needs of the flying public.
“Air Peace currently boasts of a network of twenty domestic routes, seven regional routes and two international destinations, including Dubai and Johannesburg.
“As we kick off the Guangzhou route today, we must appreciate the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Ministry of Aviation, the Chinese government, our partners, and other stakeholders for making this possible. We promise to work harmoniously with all relevant aviation actors to ensure this new route is maximised,” she said.
THISDAY
