The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo has declared that the Federal Government of Nigeria will always support Nigeria’s Airlines to grow and flourish, breaking new grounds to ensure they remain in business.
Mr. Keyamo stated this while holding discussions with the management of NORSE Atlantic Airways led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ben Boiling, in London , United Kingdom.
The discussions centered on the partnership of NORSE Atlantic Airways with the leading Nigeria’s domestic carrier, Air Peace Airline.
The Minister gave credence to the spread of Air Peace on regional and international routes, and described that NORSE Atlantic Airways partnership with Air Peace Airline as a step in the right direction.
He emphasised that one of his Key Performance Indicators [KPI] and presidential directive was ensuring the growth and development of Nigeria’s domestic airlines, as Aviation remained one of the key components of the Renewed Hope Agenda trust of the current administration under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in reviving Nigeria’s economy.
Mr Boiling, thanked the Minister for being part of the discussions and gave an assurance that NORSE Atlantic Airways was ready to start the partnership with Air Peace Airline the moment the final authorisation was granted to Air Peace Airline for the commencement of direct flights into Gatwick Airport in London from Lagos, Nigeria.
A statement from the Ministry indicates that Nigeria Aeronautical Authority officials from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA] were in London to discuss with the officials of Department for Transport of the UK on how to surmount the issue of slot allocation to Air Peace Airline to fly into Gatwick Airport in London.
According to the statement, since securing its authorisation to fly into the UK, after satisfying all the requirements, the issue of slot allocation at Gatwick Airport had been the major obstacle preventing the Airline from commencing the direct flight into London.
Though, the officials of the Department for Transport at the meeting made it known that the Government of the UK had no authority over allocation of slots at the eight primary airports in the UK, they agreed to raise the concern of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the relevant authorities on the three major issues presented on behalf of Air Peace Airline which were- the staggering departure time; restrictive turn around time; and approval for the 2024 summer schedule.
It is hoped that the fall out of the meeting would achieve its purpose to enable Air Peace Airline to commence its flight operations into the United Kingdom, which Nigerians have been yearning for.