A United Kingdom foundation, the Global Peace Movement International, has said, Nigeria will regain what it has lost to foreign airlines through the inauguration of China-Nigeria Flight by Air Peace
In a press statement by the group, and a copy made available to LEADERSHIP, they congratulated Air Peace over its inaugural flight ceremony from Lagos to Guangzhou, China at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday.
The president general of the Foundation, Mike Uyi, who commended the airline’s chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, for the bold move to reposition the nation’s aviation industry said, with the China flight, Air Peace, Nigeria can compete in the international, regional and domestic air travel market.
Recall that Air Peace had on Wednesday, expanded its network to Asia with the commencement of a direct one-weekly flight into China.
The flight which left at about 22:00 had a total of 240 passengers which were carried out from the newly commissioned terminal directly to China through its Boeing 777 aircraft.
The company also noted that plans are underway to connect Beijing, Shanghai, others from Nigeria, utilising interline arrangement with Asian airline.
Speaking during the inaugural flight, Air Peace, chief operating officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, stated that, the company had envisaged an airline that would predominantly 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.
However, Uyi said, with the China flight, Air Peace, Nigeria can compete in the international, regional and domestic air travel market to regain what the country has lost over the years to foreign airlines.
He also noted that with the increase in capacity, it is expected that Air Peace would open new frontiers, new destinations both in Africa and beyond and in doing so, create more job opportunities for Nigerians.
“This is a significant step for an accomplished man whose visionary airline is already employing over 3000 Nigerians and turning their economic fortunes around,” Uyi said.
