Nigeria and China’s bilateral relationship is set to experience a boost with Air Peace’s direct flight to China, the world’s most populous country.
Experts say the direct flight will increase the level of bilateral exchange between Nigeria and China in trade, ease connectivity and strengthen bilateral ties and people –to-people relations.
Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest carrier last week recorded a full load factor of 240 passengers on its inaugural flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to Guangzhou, China.
This is also as the airline disclosed plans to partner Asian carriers to distribute passengers to other destinations outside Guangzhou, China.
The airline operated the flight with a Boeing 777 aircraft.
Nnolim Nnaji, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, applauded Air Peace on the commencement of direct flight between Nigeria and China.
Nnaji noted that the commencement of direct flight to China by Air Peace would bring a huge relief to Nigerians and citizens of other African countries who travel regularly on business trips to China.
The aviation committee chairman stressed that Nigeria and indeed Africa shared huge business and cultural ties adding that the direct airlink would further strengthen such relationships.
He further praised Air Peace for mustering the courage to begin the long haul flight at the time the entire airlines globally were just struggling to overcome the enormous negative impact of COVID-19 on the aviation sector.
Nnaji assured that the legislature would continue to work with the executive to ensure a robust aviation industry in the country.
Speaking during the flag-off of the carrier’s Lagos-Guangzhou flight, Oluwatoyin Olajide, chief operating officer, Air Peace said Air Peace is officially adding the continent of Asia to it’s network of continents, with the commencement of initial one-weekly flight to Guangzhou-China.
Olajide said the Chinese airspace is not new to the carrier, as it has successfully operated several evacuation/special flights to the country at different times in the past, especially in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“So, we’re going into China, not as newcomers, but as an airline that is technically and operationally acclimatised with the Chinese terrain.
“The flying public, especially those that fly the Guangzhou route, should expect best-in-class flight experience, which is characteristic of the Air Peace brand. We’re not stopping with Guangzhou- India is next and Israel is in the works,” she said.
Read also: Air Peace records full load factor on inuagural flight to China
According to her, also planned for subsequent launch are Malabo in Equatorial Guinea and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stressing that Air Peace would continue to grow its route network as well as modernise its fleet strategically.
She said the carrier would have an interline arrangement with Asian carriers to help Air Peace carry passengers from Guangzhou to Shanghai and Beijing.
She also hinted that the Consultant is now open for more people to travel to China from Nigeria, following the lift on travel restrictions put by the Chinese government before now.
Olajide hinted that when Air Peace set out for the trajectory in 2014, they envisaged an airline that would create massive employment for Nigerians and reduce the burden of air travel for Nigerians, and by extension, Africans, through the provision of affordable and peaceful connectivity across cities and continents.
She added that Air Peace has kept to this vision of providing seamless connections and expanding existing networks to accommodate the evolving air travel needs of the flying public.
“Air Peace currently boasts of a network of twenty domestic routes, seven regional routes and two international destinations, including Dubai and Johannesburg.
“As we kick off the Guangzhou route, we must appreciate the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Ministry of Aviation, the Chinese government, our partners, and other stakeholders for making this possible. We promise to work harmoniously with all relevant aviation actors to ensure this new route is maximised,” she said.
