Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic acts as a charter operator for Air Peace on its Lagos to London flights

NORWEGIAN low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic has stepped into the Nigerian aviation market after it announced plans to augment operations on the Lagos to London route as part of the recent Air Peace package that sees it flying into Gatwick Airport daily.

On Saturday March 30, Air Peace successfully made its maiden Lagos to London flight when its first aircraft a Boeing 777 landed at Gatwick Airport. Its team of passengers, led by aviation minister Festus Keyamo, was received by a team of diaporans led by the acting high commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Cyprian Heen.

Under the terms of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (Basa) between the UK and Nigeria, Air Peace obtained UK Third Country Operator authorisation to fly into Britain. Offering flights at just £672, which is about half of what Virgin charges, with its seats going for £1,292, Air Peace is hoping to become the major courier along the busy Lagos to London route, which is one of the most lucrative flight paths in global aviation.

Looking to cash in on the act, Norse Atlantic will link Lagos to London and operate as a charter for Air Peace. This addition of Nigeria to its operations is unusual for the carrier, which usually flies from Europe to the US and the Caribbean.

Known in the industry as aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (Acmi), this sort of arrangement involves the charter operator coming to the air of the original operator. This move has been described by Norse as marking the beginning of a strategic partnership between the two companies.

These new Nigeria flights are due to begin in April and will initially run for two months, with charters operating four-times a week from London’s Gatwick Airport. According to both companies, there is potential for a longer-term agreement, however, it is unclear if or how this will be decided.

Although Norse is already a major operator at Gatwick, it will be using new slots allocated to Air Peace for the route. This development will put Air Peace in sharp competition with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, who already operate from London Heathrow to Lagos.