Yemisi Izuora
Domestic airline operator Air Peace has taken delivery of its 13th aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 bringing the airline closer to its target of 22 aircraft in less than three years,.
The new aircraft was flown in through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where it landed at about 7.56pm on Thursday. It touched down at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at about 12.30pm on Friday.
Speaking on the arrival of the new aircraft, the airlines chairman Allen Onyema assured that Air Peace was “committed to investing in equipment and services that make travelling more comfortable, convenient and seamless for the flying public.”
He added: “The arrival of our newest aircraft underscores the depth of our resolve to make a huge difference in the Nigerian aviation industry. We are matching our huge expansion project with the right equipment and people to ensure the delivery of the best flight services to our valued guests,” he said.
The Air Peace boss also disclosed that “in a couple of weeks, more B737, B777 and Embraer 145 jets will be joining to increase our growing fleet to 22.”
He said the airline will service the local routes with Embraer jets while B737 will be used to strengthen regional operations.
“We are ready and determined to cover more Nigerian cities with our Embraer jets. We will also deploy more B737 aircraft to strengthen our regional operations, which we started with our first flight into Accra-Ghana on February 16. We will soon launch more routes in the West Coast of Africa, including Lome, Abidjan, Douala, Dakar and Niamey.
“We are doing everything to give our esteemed guests the best long-haul flight experience with our B777 aircraft. With God on our side and with the support of our valued guests, we are sure of delivering a whole new experience on the London, Atlanta, Dubai, Mumbai, Guangzhou-China and South Africa routes soon,” Onyema said.
The airline currently operates daily flights from its Lagos hub into and out of Accra-Ghana. And with the arrival of more aircraft, the airline will soon become the toast of Africa as it is set to consolidate its expansion by acquiring more routes within and outside Africa.
The Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah, who received the aircraft in Lagos alongside other members of staff, prayed for the continued success of the airline, which lifted a third of all passengers in the country in the first quarter of this year.