₦airaland Forum

Mixed reactions trail UK allocation of London Gatwick to Air Peace
tribuneonlineng.comOct 12, 2023 4:20 AM

As controversy continues over the refusal of the United Kingdom Authorities to allot a slot for Nigeria’s Air Peace airline at the Heathrow airport, stakeholders have attributed the UK authorities’ action to the failure of the Nigerian government to support its indigenous airlines.

This came just as the denial by the U.K to have Air Peace operate into Heathrow airport has been described as a violation of the dual designation policy existing between the two countries.

The reactions came following the revelation made the chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, during his appearance on Arise Television on how the UK authorities have proposed to the Nigerian carrier to operate into either London Stansted airport or London Gatwick instead of the more lucrative London Heathrow. Airport.

The Air Peace chairman rejected the offer by the U.K. authorities, citing the existing Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries which allows the two British airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, to operate into two Nigeria’s primary airports.


Onyema is advocating for the Nigerian carrier to be allowed to operate flights to London Heathrow as a primary airport as the U.K. Airlines have been enjoying flights into the two primary airports in Nigeria.

In his reaction, a former marketing director at the defunct Nigeria Airways, Mr Akinola Ojo, while describing BASA as purely based on reciprocity, however, said the same scenario has always recurred on the Nigeria/UK route.

According to Ojo, each time the UK reneged, Nigeria, rather than recisitng, will end up increasing the frequencies of the UK carriers.

His words: “Does it really make sense granting some foreign countries over 20 frequencies a week as of right when your own carriers cannot exercise their own frequencies either due to none-granting of slots to operate and or visas in some cases. There are procedures in addressing most of these abnormalities.


“This had been a kind of problem on the route. We refused then increase in frequency until Mrs Kema Chikwe as the then aviation minister convinced former President Olusegun Obasanjo who gave Virgin Airlines additional four frequencies to the seven operated by BA. Hence, all those abracadabra arrangements with both of them failed. The issue of slot should have been put to rest by the time UK later got over 20 frequencies per week. Frequencies without slots to operate has no meaning,” he said.

A public relations officer, Mr Simon Tumba in his reaction though argued that BA is not the one to dictate as it depends on the agreement signed, but however declared that the responsibility of allocating slots rests on the two countries to agree on the number of designated airlines and the frequencies. Everybody knows slots are big time in Heathrow, the most expensive in the world. However there’s no BASA that is lopsided. None! The problem is some countries do not fill their quota with their designated airlines. That’s the problem.There may be no slots in Heathrow. Air Peace may have to buy slots in Heathrow to have access. Access in Gatwick is easier than Heathrow. We all know slots in Heathrow are expensive and scarce.That should be the case but Heathrow is the busiest airport in the world and perhaps the most expensive. This is the reality.Those guys do their homework. They know the rules and understand the game. Most of them are even managed by English people.”

In his contribution, a former military commandant of the Lagos airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu, retired, who declared that the U.K. did not violate the BASA agreement it has with Nigeria, said rather than blame the U.K. that the blame should go to those in the “administration of our government that have no knowledge of the function and benefits of BASA. It is private arrangements for Air Peace to be giving Gatwick as was the case for Arik in 2013. Arik was lucky because those in the administration of our government at that time spoke on its behalf to operate into Heathrow. I wish same can be done for Air Peace. But I will prefer the airline is designated as a Flag Carrier and get full support of the government.

Gatwick airport is Nigerian (yoruba) and that's why.

Air peace (drama) should be grateful to UK for allowing them to operate in UK

This is how they continued to subject Nigeria to all kinds of dehumanising conditions because we love to be in the defective servitude state. Nigerian doctors being among the most worked. Same with other HCWs

Reneging on a bilateral air agreement based on imperialism is bad, but continuing to be exploitative is more wicked. The day African and its leaders agree no to be the whiteman stooge the better for the continent.

If the UK for whatever reasons doesn’t deem Air peace for enough for a space in their airport. That’s it. Raccoon already making it about Nigeria. Bad belle. Air peace is a privately owned business, let him go find out Wetin Dey sup first or better still ask for help from the Nigerian ambassador/embassy. They always know how to sort things out. Mind you air peace is not a representative of Nigeria government. If UK had stopped Nigeria air then the Nigeria government could have done same for BA. Simple stuff.

Kapeter:
If the UK for whatever reasons doesn’t deem Air peace for enough for a space in their airport. That’s it. Raccoon already making it about Nigeria. Bad belle. Air peace is a privately owned business, let him go find out Wetin Dey sup first or better still ask for help from the Nigerian ambassador/embassy. They always know how to sort things out. Mind you air peace is not a representative of Nigeria government. If UK had stopped Nigeria air then the Nigeria government could have done same for BA. Simple stuff.

Simple stuff? Nigeria Air doesn't exist.

British Airways is not a Government business, it was privatized nearly 40 years ago and is now owned by the multi-national IAG.



Most of you don't know that government acts in the interests of their businessmen.

A government that has sense will tell all UK airlines to land in Maiduguri until they agree to equal reciprocity.

The way some people rush to comment without understanding a thing is so baffling.

Air peace honestly have survived against all odds honestly

Nigeria government hasn't said anything about this?

Something that would save us foreign exchange? Na wah ooh

Being an Igbo business in Nigeria is hard sha very hard

lexylaw40kuti:
Gatwick airport is Nigerian (yoruba) and that's why.

Air peace (drama) should be grateful to UK for allowing them to operate in UK

Everything is tribalism to you guys.

Tuehh ... I spit on all you disgusting tribalist
.

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If AIR PEACE pull this off mehn!! 🙃🙃 dude will be swimming in more money buh UK will use sanctions upon sanctions finish him