Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace has announced it would resume flights to Johannesburg, South Africa after two months it suspended service due to high cost of operation.
The airline in a statement issued at the weekend said that it would resume flights from October 9, 2022.
“This is to inform the flying public that our Johannesburg service resumes on Sunday, October 9, 2022. The schedules are now live on our website/mobile app, and you can now book your flights to South Africa. We look forward to having you on board,” Air Peace said.
Nigeria’s biggest operator decided to suspend flights to Johannesburg early August, 2022 when it couldn’t cope with the high cost of aviation fuel and low passenger traffic due to the failure of South Africa embassy in Nigeria to issue visa to Nigerians willing to travel to the African nation.
The airline noted that high cost and scarcity of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, forced it to suspend its Lagos-Johannesburg flight operations.
The airline explained then that due to the turbulent times the aviation industry was experiencing with Jet A1 fuel increases, scarcity of forex and a delay in visa issuance for South African travel passengers, it had to stop the service.
There are indications that the airline has reviewed its operations to that destination and decided to resume service, especially now the high Christmas season is building up, as many Nigerians would like to return to their fatherland.
Industry pundits commended Air Peace decision to return to Johannesburg in order to tame the cut-throat fares introduced on that route since its withdrawal and the airline said that Nigerians have missed that unique inflight service, which include Nigerian delicacies service in the Nigerian carrier, which is longed for by its Nigerian customers.
“Air Peace’s resumption of flights to Johannesburg will help bring down the fare, which to me is exploitative because there is only one direct flight from Nigeria. Now, the route is going to be competitive and it will be to the benefits of travellers,” one industry stakeholder told THISDAY.
