‘Devilish conspiracy’ – Air Peace CEO, Onyema Criticizes Foreign Airlines for Price Reduction

The Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, has expressed concerns about foreign carriers on the Nigeria-UK route allegedly working together to force Air Peace out of international operations by significantly reducing airfares on the route. Onyema made these claims during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program. He stated that there is an undisclosed agreement among foreign airlines to use lower pricing as a means to remove Air Peace from the Nigeria-London route.

Onyema warned that if Air Peace is prematurely taken out of the equation, the consequences would be severe for the country, resulting in significant financial losses and putting additional strain on the naira. It is worth noting that Air Peace had previously responded to the imbalanced Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom by launching direct flights from Lagos to Gatwick Airport in London on March 30, 2024.

This move was praised by industry observers who believed it would encourage other local airlines to venture into international flights on profitable routes.

As Air Peace entered the London route, the prices of international flight tickets, which were previously as high as N3.5m for economy class, dropped to N1.2m, prompting foreign airlines like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Qatar Airways to reduce their prices to remain competitive. However, Onyema claimed that foreign airlines are now fighting back and deliberately frustrating Air Peace in various ways.

Onyema expressed frustration over the recent challenges faced at Gatwick Airport, highlighting issues with ground handling and space allocation that have arisen in the past few days.

He criticized foreign airlines for underpricing their tickets significantly, suggesting a deliberate attempt to push Air Peace out of the market by offering fares that are unsustainable and below cost.

Onyema called for other Nigerian airlines to step up and compete on the Nigeria-UK route in order to challenge the monopoly held by foreign carriers at major airports in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for collective action to address the unfair practices in international aviation.