Air Peace starts direct flights to India

Yesterday, Air Peace, the largest airline in Nigeria, reached a new milestone when it began nonstop flights to Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra State in southwest India.

According to Air Peace, it will begin with two weekly flight frequencies to Mumbai with the intention of starting up operations in Delhi as soon as the Mumbai service gains significant traction.

“This direct, nonstop Mumbai service is a respite to Nigerians and Indians who have to travel for so many hours to India with stopovers via other countries,” the airline said. The Chief Operating Officer, Air Peace, Oluwatoyin Olajide, said: “The Mumbai route is our fourth international destination and is strongly indicative of our unwavering commitment to continually expand our route network to meet the evolving travel needs of not only the Nigerian market but also the West African sub-region.

“On May 31, 2020, Air Peace became the first ever Nigerian airline to operate the first direct flight from Nigeria to Kochi, India, airlifting 312 Indian citizens. In the same year and in early 2021, we operated more than six evacuation flights afterwards, showing our strength and familiarisation with the Indian airspace.

“Our Mumbai service is direct- meaning no stopovers. So, you’re saving time, money and avoiding stopover stress. Also, we’re offering a launch fare of 450,000 naira. That’s unbeatable, especially considering that we’re deploying our comfy Boeing 777 aircraft, offering passengers best-in-class hospitality.”

With the addition of the Mumbai service, the airline, in her opinion, is enhancing its presence in Asia. She also noted that Nigeria is making great strides in the implementation of its Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with India and the strengthening of socio-economic ties between the two nations.

Olajide disclosed: “Passengers can connect from Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Accra, Monrovia and Douala through Lagos to Mumbai, and if you are connecting from any of the aforementioned domestic routes, the fare for the local leg is waived. These are some of the benefits you enjoy on our Mumbai service.

“Discussions are ongoing with some Indian airlines for an interline partnership so that we can connect not just the West but the North, East and South of India to Nigeria and the West African region. Our promise is to consistently provide seamless connections for our esteemed customers across continents.

“Air Peace is only eight years old, but we have done a lot and have more planned in terms of route expansion and fleet modernisation.  As you may know, plans to launch Israel are on top gear as the Israeli government has approved April 20, 2023, as the kick-off date. Also being planned for launch are Jeddah, Malabo, Congo Kinshasa, Lome and we recently introduced Abuja-Banjul and Abuja-Dakar connections.”

The airline stated that it is making investments in more up-to-date aircraft, noting that it now operates 37 aircraft and anticipates ordering an additional 10 brand-new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in addition to eight brand-new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft.

The COO expressed gratitude to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Ministry of Aviation, the Government of India, travel partners, and other stakeholders who helped make the Mumbai launch possible. He also assured that the airline would work closely with all pertinent aviation actors to ensure that the new route was utilized to its fullest potential.

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