Yemisi Izuora
Air Peace has commenced flights to Freetown, Banjul and Dakar, the capital cities of Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Senegal respectively.
The airline’s pledge to be consistent and efficient on the routes earned it accolades from top government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, aviation regulators and corporate leaders on the West Coast of Africa.
Explaining why the airline decided to expand its operations to the West Africa sub-region, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema noted that seamless air connectivity is pivotal to the socio-economic development of countries within the West Coast of Africa and other nations on the continent.
Receiving Air Peace delegation moments after the maiden flight to Freetown touched down at the Freetown International Airport, Lungi, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Balogun Koroma commended the carrier for extending its operations to the country.
“We are looking for in-flight quality service, on-time service and adherence to our local content laws in terms of employing our people. And Air Peace has given us the assurance that they would adhere to that,” Koroma said.
At the Banjul International Airport, the Director of Operations of The Gambia Airport Authority, Mr. Abdoulie Colley assured Air Peace that it would be accorded the needed support to succeed in the country.
For his part, excited Nigeria High Commissioner to The Gambia, Ambassador Oluwasegun Ibidapo-Obe said the coming of Air Peace would strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and The Gambia.
Also speaking for banks in Banjul, the Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking of FBN Gambia Limited, Mr. Mike Junior Emeh said Air Peace’s expansion of its route network to The Gambia and other West Coast countries was a big relief for travellers. He urged the airline to maintain its on-time reputation and consistency, assuring that the carrier would succeed in its West Coast flight operations.
In Dakar, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of LAS, Mr. Xavier Mary, who spoke on behalf of the operators of Senegal’s new airport, Aeroport International Blaise Diagne, said Air Peace’s Dakar service was a good opportunity for improving businesses between Nigeria and Senegal.
In his own goodwill speech, Minister in the Embassy of Nigeria, Dakar, Mr. Lot Egopija said he was pleased that Air Peace was fulfilling the cardinal agenda of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to bridge the gap among its member-states.
“Air Peace coming into Dakar is to create access to the people of both countries and also to further the ECOWAS agreement.”