West and Central Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, has expanded its Asian footprints with the commencement of direct scheduled commercial flights into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on October 31, 2023. This is as the Emir of Kano, HRH Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has lauded the airline’s giant strides.
The inaugural flight, operated with one of the airline’s B777s, was airborne from Kano at 23:22hrs with 231 passengers. Air Peace, before now, has been operating charter flights to Saudi Arabia, airlifting Muslim pilgrims. But this inaugural flight officially kicked off its scheduled operations into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Chairman of Air Peace, Dr Allen Onyema, described the entry into Jeddah as ‘another milestone recorded in the annals of Nigeria’s aviation history’, stating that Jeddah is the airline’s sixth international destination in just nine years of launching commercial flight operations.
He noted that with the entry into Jeddah, Air Peace has increased its presence on the Asian continent. “This is huge, not just for Air Peace but for Nigeria. We are undoubtedly exemplifying our ambition of connecting Nigeria to the world with world-class flight services. Air Peace is on a mission to easing the air travel burden for Nigerians and plugging the connectivity gaps that have hitherto existed. We are happy to be serving as a means of solidifying socio-economic ties between Nigeria and other countries of the world”.
Onyema said Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have co-existed smoothly, with religious tourism being a key driver of this relationship and stressed that with the launch of scheduled nonstop flights to Jeddah, the airline hopes to further deepen the bilateral ties between both countries, boost both economies and advance mutual development.
He added: “The Saudi Arabian airspace is not new to us. We have operated numerous Hajj flights to the country. Thus, we are very familiar with the terrain. Our Hajj operations this year were massive. Now, we are flying to Saudi Arabia not as a charter flight but as a regular scheduled operation.
“Air Peace is leaving no city behind, and this is beyond domestic operations. We are poised to continually create strategic connections that ease air travel and foster economic development in the markets where we operate. In line with this route expansion drive, we are also launching flight operations into London soon”.
The Air Peace helmsman expressed gratitude to the Emir of Kano, HRH Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero who facilitated with the airline during its recent 9th Anniversary. Describing the Emir as a bridge-builder, Onyema applauded him for his contributions to nation-building, adding that the nation needs more of such people.
In his remarks, the Emir congratulated Air Peace for the Jeddah launch and lauded the airline for always blazing the trail in Nigeria’s aviation industry. He further commended Onyema for the impact he is creating in Nigeria through Air Peace.
While thanking the Saudi Arabian authorities, travel partners and the Nigerian Government for making the launch possible, Onyema emphasised that Air Peace is modernising and increasing its fleet, as it signed a firm order for 5 brand new E175 aircraft in September, in addition to the existing orders for 15 Boeing MAX aircraft to continue to give its customers an unequalled experience on board.
Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC, a leading Ground Handling service provider in Nigeria, is proud to announce its new partnership with NeosAir starting from October 30th, 2024 that would be flying from Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos once a week.
Under this new agreement, SAHCO will be providing full ground handling services for NeosAir which include Ramp handling, Passenger handling, Baggage handling, Cargo handling, Aircraft cleaning, and more.
SAHCO’s experienced team and state-of-the-art equipment are fully prepared to meet the unique needs of NeosAir’s operations, ensuring seamless and efficient turnarounds at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.”We are thrilled to partner with NeosAir on this important venture,” said Dr (Barr) Taiwo Afolabi (CON) Chairman, SAHCO. “This patronage reflects the trust and confidence that NeosAir has in our capabilities.
We are committed to delivering the highest quality of service to support their operations, ensuring safe, timely, and efficient ground handling for their flights.”
He went on to emphasize that SAHCO is ISAGO and RA3 certified which means that SAHCO has the certification to handle all Europe bound cargo and can accept shipments from Europe as well.
Furthermore, SAHCO has a proven track record of providing top-tier ground handling services to major airlines operating in Nigeria.
The company is known for its dedication to safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. With the addition of NeosAir to its growing list of clients, SAHCO continues to strengthen its position as a leading ground handling service provider in the region.
NeosAir is a private Italian airline whose headquarters is in Somma Lombardo, Lombardy, Italy and is a subsidiary of Alpitour S.p.A.
In addition, NeosAir operates from its main operating base at Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy to Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.
Arik Air is Back in the Skies – Flights Resume on August 8, 2024
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Arik Air has it’s has resumed it’s flight operations wtoday, August 8, 2024.
the was announced during its press briefing.
we have been dedicated to ensuring a smooth and seamless return to service, preparing to welcome you back on board with the comfort and reliability you expect from us.
Our entire team has been working tirelessly to enhance your travel experience. F
rom our friendly ground staff to our attentive flight crews, everyone at Arik Air is ready and eager to serve you once again.
Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, you can rely on Arik Air to get you to your destination smoothly and comfortably.
We extend our gratitude to all the stakeholders who played a crucial role in resolving the recent impasse.
Your support and cooperation have been instrumental in our return to the skies.
Thank you for choosing Arik. We look forward to seeing you on board!
Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, is set to launch flight connectivity from its Lagos hub to Cotonou in Benin Republic and Abidjan in Ivory Coast on January 22, 2024, bringing to 10 its regional destinations in less than a decade of commencing scheduled flight operations.
This information is contained in a news release issued on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, by the airline’s Spokesperson, Stanley Olisa, who said the new routes were further confirmation of the airline’s unyielding drive to connect the whole of Africa and facilitate economic prosperity on the continent.
According to Olisa, in addition to these new routes opening soon, Air Peace is also introducing new connections such as Abidjan-Dakar, Cotonou-Dakar and Abidjan-Cotonou.
He stated that the route schedules are now live on the airline’s website- www.flyairpeace.com- and its mobile app, and customers can start booking to take advantage of the unbeatable launch fares.
Air Peace leads Nigeria’s aviation industry with a current network of 21 domestic routes, 8 regional and 6 international destinations, with an increasing modern fleet of over 30 aircraft, including 5 brand new Embraer 195-E2s and a latest firm order for 5 brand new Embraer 175s.