Sixth new Embraer Jet for Air Peace arrives as firm seeks BASA destinations access
Emerging leaders in domestic aviation sector, Air Peace has taken delivery of another 50-seater Embraer 145 jet, bringing the number of such aircraft in its fleet to six.
The aircraft, according Air Peace, is part of the vision of providing seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes.
This is happening at a time several local airlines including Air Peace had been battling to secure the needed clearance in leading international destinations to ply its business based on several Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) sealed by Nigeria.
Recently, Air Peace voiced concerns over the way and manner several world destinations are posing stumbling blocks in its efforts to establish office and run their destinations frequently.
The airline noted that even some West African and other African nations are determined to frustrate efforts of Nigerian airlines to do business in their countries even though airlines from such nations land and freely do business in Nigeria.
However, several aviation experts have blamed the federal government for not doing enough in opening ways for Nigerian airline operators to expand to better money spinning destinations.
Only recently, the Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika said his ministry has given approval for Nigerian airlines to explore BASA, but industry pundits argue that the Minister should go beyond announcing approval to engage with his counterparts abroad to use executive fiat in resolving the observed encumbrances frustrating Nigerian airlines in access choice destinations globally.
Still on the newly arrived jet, Business Hilights gathered that the aircraft, marked 5N-BUW and named Virginia Omeogo Adegoke (Nee Onyema), touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday. Air Peace took delivery of its 5th ERJ in October.
In a brief explanation, the Corporate Communications Manager of the airline, Chris Iwarah, said “Upon the arrival of our first Embraer 145 aircraft in February this year, we set another record in Nigeria’s aviation industry with the establishment of a subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper to organise our plan to democratise air transport and deliver exceptional flight services to unserved and underserved cities in Nigeria and the West Coast of Africa.
“Since we started this project, the pieces of feedback have been quite encouraging. Although there have been challenges, including delays mostly on account of circumstances bordering on safety and other factors beyond our control, we have kept reviewing our schedules and restrategising to ensure the best of flight services for our teeming loyal customers. This has greatly paid off and the delays reduced to the barest minimum,” Iwarah explained.
