…Assures of high safety standards
Set to deliver 11 new aircraft by December
Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, has said the forces behind the great achievements the Nigerian domestic carrier has attained within just thirty months of its operations in the country to God, financial discipline and integrity.
Onyema made the disclosure during the presentation of the airline with membership certificate from International Air Transport Association (IATA) after it had successful completed IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) audit earlier this year.
The Air Peace Chief who recalled that the airline started with seven aircraft out of which three were later sold, gave the present fleet size as 24 aircraft within 30 months of its operations even as he said a proposal to double its fleet size by 2019 is underway, insisted that achieving such a feat could be ascribed to Almighty God, financial discipline and integrity.
“We started with four Boeing 737 aircraft and three Donnier jets and we later sold three of our Donnier jets. As I speak to you today, your favourite airline has 24 aircraft under a space of two and a half years. This would not have been possible if we are not financially disciplined, it is our integrity and God Almighty that has led us this far. We have enough equipment to do whatever we want to do.”
He added, “eleven aircraft are coming in between now and December”.
The airline chief explained further, “the airline is able to get fuel due to the “Integrity of the airline, we fulfill our promises to marketers, we don’t owe them. It takes financial discipline to do that; we don’t borrow out of limit that is why Air Peace is successful, the banks are even running after us to take money, when we borrow, we pay back. In the next two years, the fleet we double, we are going to touch every continent next year with the support of government.”
Thanking IATA for giving the airline a world view since May this year when it received its IOSA certificate, Onyema said “ the IATA membership has placed a new challenge on the airline to attain a level in it operations.”.
He disclosed that by middle of December 2017, the airline will deliver a new set of 11 aircraft that will be injected into the domestic operation and proposed international destinations.
Onyema who said Air Peace will fly into every continent of the world as plans are underway to increase its fleet to 48 aircraft from the present 24 by 2019, therefore called on the global body to continue to create the enabling environment for young airlines like Air Peace to compete.
While applauding the federal government for supporting the airline through diplomatic processes, he said, “I thank the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for giving us six destinations they gave us and I will not disappoint them. With the IATA membership, most reputable airlines will be willing to partner with us. We will represent creditably wherever we will fly into.”
While disclosing that plans are at advanced stage to commence code-share operations with two renowned carriers, the Air Peace helmsman said the airline’s applications to commence operations into Ghanzou, China, Dubai, Houston in Texas, London, India and others are receiving attention from the authorities of concerned countries.
He also disclosed that following the intervention of the Federal government of Nigeria, countries like Cameroun, Senegal, Liberia, Togo, Ivory Coast which hitherto had denied the airline’s operation into their countries have written them to begin the processes of flying into their aerodromes.
”Air Peace has been permitted to fly to Cameroun after two and half years. Same applies for Sierra Leone and Liberia, though they gave us 60 days. Togo, the first people that stopped us wrote a letter of apology and has given us permit, Côte d’Ivoire. The other areas we are facing some challenges is charges’ which our government is looking into it”
Speaking during the presentation of the much coveted IATA certificate to the CEO of Air Peace, IATA Area Manager, West Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun said that the Nigerian carrier has joined the less than 300 IATA members out of the thousands of airlines around the world that applied for membership.
Fatokun who commended the airline for scaling the huddles and achieving the feat which he said has opened limitless vista of opportunities for the airline across the world, said the membership is a testament to Air Peace compliant with global safety standards
Among such opportunities the much-coveted membership of the air transport global clearing house, Fatokun said will offer Air Peace include competing in the international market, participating in the multilateral interlining in the international traffic, exposure to the flow of traffic Billing payment system BPS, participation in IATA trainings among others.
The IATA Chief said, “ we are proud to be associated with Air Peace, since July, the airline is now on the same footing with world big carriers and that give them a new good image.
“Such certification makes all the big carriers anywhere in the world to know that the airline management and maintenance are safe. It gives the passengers more assurance and confidence, meaning that they have met all the requirements and complied with all safety standards and practices in their operations.
He said it is a very good and big achievement for the airline and Nigeria because it takes a very rigorous system to actualise it.
