Esther Salifu
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has demanded the United Kingdom for Transport to grant Air Peace landing rights at Heathrow airport, or else it it would be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at Lagos and Abuja airports.
Kayemo disclosed this in a letter he wrote to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh.
The warning follows UK’s refusal to allocate slots to Air Peace.He said: “Nigeria will not be treated unfairly; we demand reciprocal treatment for our national carrier,” said Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
In the letter, dated August 1, 2024, Keyamo expressed disappointment over the UK’s stance, emphasizing the principle of reciprocity enshrined in the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the two nations.
He warned that if Air Peace is not granted landing rights at Heathrow, Nigeria would be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at Lagos and Abuja airports.Industry experts argue that the BASA agreement promotes designated city destinations rather than specific airports.
However, Keyamo maintained that Heathrow’s status as the UK’s primary airport warrants equal treatment for Air Peace.The dispute took a new turn when Airport Coordination Limited, the UK’s slot allocation authority, revealed that Air Peace missed critical deadlines for requesting landing slots.
This development has raised concerns about Air Peace’s ability to secure a foothold at one of the world’s busiest airports.A top Air Peace official, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed frustration with the UK’s stance.
“We’ve done due diligence, but they claim the crowd is too much. Now, they’re saying we didn’t apply for two seasons. We pray the minister’s efforts will yield positive results.”
Keyamo’s letter highlighted the long-standing operations of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic in Nigeria’s primary airports, emphasizing the need for reciprocity. “It’s unfair for British authorities to deny Nigerian carriers equal treatment. We feel betrayed by their lack of reciprocity.”
