Air Peace to start flying from Ogun to Heathrow and Gatwick airports this summer

NIGERIA'S largest domestic airline Air peace has announced plans to commence flights from the newly-inaugurated Gateway International Airport in Iperu to London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports later this year.

Last week, President Bola Tinubu commissioned the new airport in Iperu, which was built to relieve the pressure on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Air Peace already flies to London from Lagos and Abuja, with landing rights at both Gatwick and Heathrow airports and has immediately stepped into the breach to cash in on this new opening.

Allen Onyema, the Air Peace chief executive, recently inspected the facilities at the airport in the company of Ogun State governor Dapo Abiodun and revealed that he was satisfied with them. He commended the state government for delivering what he called a world-class aviation facility, noting that the airport ranks among the best-equipped in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr Onyema said: “This is one of the best-equipped airports in sub-Saharan Africa and Air Peace will not sit back and watch this facility go unused. It’s not just the building, it has everything you can think of that makes an airport an airport.

"It is just the same thing, if not better than what you find in the western world. We are coming here under the instrumentality of Governor Abiodun's invitation, to start doing London – Gatwick and London – Heathrow to Gateway International Airport this summer.”

In addition, he emphasised that Gateway International Airport’s infrastructure meets global standards, highlighting its 4km runway capable of accommodating large aircraft such as the Airbus A380. Mr Onyema also noted that Air Peace plans to deploy its Boeing 777 fleet on the London routes.

According to Mr Onyema, Air Peace has already secured approval from Nigeria's aviation minister Festus Keyamo to commence operations. He went on to describe the Gateway Airport  project as a national asset rather than solely a state initiative.

Governor Abiodun outlined plans to further expand the airport’s ecosystem with the construction of an international conference and convention centre and a 550-room five-star hotel, which he said would position Ogun State as a hub for global business and tourism. He added that cargo operations have already begun with Allied Air, while Ethiopian Airlines is expected to start soon.

According to Governor Abiodun, around 50 cargo flights would operate through the airport between April and the end of the year, with one another European carrier set to start operations shortly too. Additionally, the governor announced the establishment of the state-owned Gateway Airlines, which has already acquired two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft that will operate from the airport.

These 90-seater planes are expected to improve connectivity between Iperu, Abuja and other major Nigerian cities. Governor Abiodun expressed confidence that with these developments, Gateway International Airport could soon become Nigeria’s third busiest aviation hub after Lagos and Abuja.