In a letter dated August 1, 2024 and addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK secretary of state for transport, Keyamo warned that if Air Peace is not allocated a space at the London Heathrow, Nigeria will be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports.
Although Heathrow is the UK’s primary airport, Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier, currently operates from the Gatwick Airport, the secondary airport.
All efforts by Air Peace to get a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the heart of London, have been unsuccessful.
In the letter seen by TheCable, Keyamo expressed “the displeasure” of the Nigerian government over the “consistent denial of slot” by the UK slot office to Air Peace on the Nigeria-London route to fly into Heathrow, its first choice, since it began operations in the UK in March 2024.
“The Airline had made consistent efforts in the past to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos, but was denied, and only granted approval to fly into Gatwick Airport from Lagos,”
“Following the approval granted the Airline by the Nigerian Government to fly the Abuja-London route, the Airline approached the Slot Office for slot allocation at the London Heathrow Airport, for flight operations planned to commence in November 2024, during the IATA Winter Season. It is highly disheartening that up till this moment, the Airline has not received any favourable response from the Slot Office.”
He reminded the UK that both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are operating into Nigeria’s primary airports in Lagos and Abuja “without encumbrances placed in their ways”.
British Airways, in particular, has been flying into Lagos since 1936.
“Therefore, it is necessary for Nigerian designated carriers to enjoy similar reciprocity that British carriers are enjoying. It is highly unfair on the side of the British authorities and a discredit to the Nigerian authorities and the Nigerian nation as a whole, for slot allocation to Nigerian carriers to be an issue at all times. We feel totally betrayed by the British authorities for not reciprocating the good gesture of the Nigerian State and its people,” Keyamo wrote.
“The slot allocation issue should not be used as an alibi to deny the existence of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which hallmark is based on the principle of reciprocity. Whatever concessionary arrangements you have with your airports with third parties, the concessionaire(s) should legally inherit your existing obligations (especially those under Bi-Lateral Services Agreements) in respect of the use of those airports.
“Arising from the foregoing, I wish to emphatically state that if Air Peace is not allocated a slot at the London Heathrow Airport, it might be difficult for British flag carriers to access Nigeria’s tier one airports from the next Winter Season, unless when a frank discussion is opened with us to break the debacle associated with the slot allocation at Heathrow to the Airline and other Nigerian designated airlines.
“While expecting your timely intervention over this pressing issue dear to the hearts of Nigerians, please, accept the consideration of my warm regards.”
TheCable confirmed that the letter has been received by the UK high commission in Abuja.
Although Heathrow is the UK’s primary airport, Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier, currently operates from the Gatwick Airport, the secondary airport.
All efforts by Air Peace to get a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the heart of London, have been unsuccessful.
In the letter seen by TheCable, Keyamo expressed “the displeasure” of the Nigerian government over the “consistent denial of slot” by the UK slot office to Air Peace on the Nigeria-London route to fly into Heathrow, its first choice, since it began operations in the UK in March 2024.
“The Airline had made consistent efforts in the past to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos, but was denied, and only granted approval to fly into Gatwick Airport from Lagos,”
“Following the approval granted the Airline by the Nigerian Government to fly the Abuja-London route, the Airline approached the Slot Office for slot allocation at the London Heathrow Airport, for flight operations planned to commence in November 2024, during the IATA Winter Season. It is highly disheartening that up till this moment, the Airline has not received any favourable response from the Slot Office.”
He reminded the UK that both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are operating into Nigeria’s primary airports in Lagos and Abuja “without encumbrances placed in their ways”.
British Airways, in particular, has been flying into Lagos since 1936.
“Therefore, it is necessary for Nigerian designated carriers to enjoy similar reciprocity that British carriers are enjoying. It is highly unfair on the side of the British authorities and a discredit to the Nigerian authorities and the Nigerian nation as a whole, for slot allocation to Nigerian carriers to be an issue at all times. We feel totally betrayed by the British authorities for not reciprocating the good gesture of the Nigerian State and its people,” Keyamo wrote.
“The slot allocation issue should not be used as an alibi to deny the existence of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which hallmark is based on the principle of reciprocity. Whatever concessionary arrangements you have with your airports with third parties, the concessionaire(s) should legally inherit your existing obligations (especially those under Bi-Lateral Services Agreements) in respect of the use of those airports.
“Arising from the foregoing, I wish to emphatically state that if Air Peace is not allocated a slot at the London Heathrow Airport, it might be difficult for British flag carriers to access Nigeria’s tier one airports from the next Winter Season, unless when a frank discussion is opened with us to break the debacle associated with the slot allocation at Heathrow to the Airline and other Nigerian designated airlines.
“While expecting your timely intervention over this pressing issue dear to the hearts of Nigerians, please, accept the consideration of my warm regards.”
TheCable confirmed that the letter has been received by the UK high commission in Abuja.
Mr Aviation Minister do you know if they have been Fighting to get Slot in Heatrow Airport
ReplyDeleteHello Sir Good Things Does not Come Easy o
Give them Time Am Sure Air peace will get Slot At HeatRow Airport 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Hello iya Boys
I guess you still sleeping. What did u write up here. If u nur get anything to say go sleep. Please read the story again.
DeleteWho are the 'they'?
DeleteFestus Keyamo just did the right thing, you can't enjoy easy access to us and not be willing to reciprocate, please bar them!
This grasshopper again?
DeleteYou didn't read the post, just the headline obviously. If not, you won't vomit this rubbish.
See how you murdered Heathrow that was spelt correctly up there.
*Long hiss*
U guys don’t even waste ur time, there are people you don’t even need to correct or argue with, cos of the weight of what is discussed, i’m sorry i dnt think Chika can properly grasp the substance of the matter. Heck she might not even know what is being discussed. Allow her to continue hustling for her giveaways abeg, na the one wey dey do her be that, not current affairs. Afterall, who education help??
Delete@Iya boys i think you are not familiar with this story, how long this has been going on & how even previous govts could not step in to fix this matter. When you see stories that you are not familiar with, wisdom demands you keep quiet & allow people that know a thing or two about it to comment, you can also learn thru that way.
DeleteLol. At this point, if she's qualified for a giveaway, i think she successfully worked hard for it. Because what is all this!!! She is literally on every post. It's like a full time job
DeleteI have not been a fan of Keyamo, especially after the hasty suspension of Arik Air last 2 weeks. That move left many passengers stranded and Arik will most likely face millions of Naira in litigation
ReplyDeleteHowever , I feel this is a step in the right direction. If they fail to give Nigerian carriers a space in their major Airports, we should also do the same.
They'll have more to lose as Nigeria is one of their major markets.
But Arik violated a lot of safety rules, having said that the only reason Air Peace got a slot in Gatwick was because it was own by a Nigerian. Nigeria is just making mouth they can not suspend British Airways and Virgin unless they want makw life very difficult for its citizens.
DeleteSir peace is a threat to them
ReplyDeleteI welcome these developments from him. It's Aura for Aura. Let it begin!
ReplyDelete