Air Peace Secures Slot at UK’s Heathrow Airport After Gatwick, CEO Shares New Plans

• Nigeria’s biggest airline, Air Peace, has secured a slot at the UK’s biggest and busiest airport, Heathrow, after a series of denials
• Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, announced the development, saying that the carrier will commence Abuja-Heathrow flights on October 26, 2025
• Onyema also said that the airline will commence another flight to Antigua and Barbuda and will purchase a new aircraft for the long-haul flights

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.

After several denials, the United Kingdom authorities have finally approved Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, to fly to Heathrow Airport.

Allen Onyema, Air Peace Chairman, disclosed this, saying that the airline has concluded plans to commence direct flight operation from Abuja to Heathrow, beginning October 26, 2025.

Air Peace finally secures Heathrow slot

Air Peace commenced flights to Gatwick Airport in March last year, with the Nigerian operator desperately angling for a spot in the UK’s biggest and busiest airport.

The UK’s refusal to grant Air Peace a Heathrow slot has generated controversy, with the Nigerian government, via the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, threatening to deny British Airways a Lagos slot.

Keyamo said the Nigerian authorities will restrict British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flights if the UK government refuses to allow Air Peace to secure a slot at Heathrow in line with the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA).

Nigeria and the UK bicker over Heathrow slot

Keyamo had detailed the UK’s consistent denial of Air Peace to secure a Heathrow slot in a letter to the country’s aviation regulators.

However, the UK, via its Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, said Air Peace was denied Heathrow Airport access because it submitted its request for slots too late for the Summer 2024 and Winter 2024/2025 seasons.

Haigh explained in the letter that Air Peace’s slot request was received late after the Airports Coordination Limited (ACL) had already completed the slot coordination process for the summer season.

Meanwhile, Air Peace boss, Onyema, said UK authorities have approved Air Peace Heathrow flights, expressing gratitude to Keyamo and the British Authorities.

Air Peace to commence Heathrow flights in October

The Air Peace boss said that by September, the airline will commence direct flights to Antigua and Barbuda, saying that the carrier would take delivery of another Boeing 777 wide-bodied aircraft to raise its fleet of 777s.

He disclosed that Air Peace is not known for delays or cancellations contrary to popular views, stating that since May 2025, the airline has recorded over 85% on-time performance (OTP).

He explained plans to open a new customer service in the coming weeks, stating that it is the first in the world.

Air Peace denies chronic flight delay label

According to him, 95% causes of flight delays and cancellations were due to external factors outside the airline’s control.

Daily Trust reported that Onyema decried the uncooperative attitude of some passengers, labelling them as unhelpful.

Air Peace makes historic flight to St. Kitts and Nevis

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, has become the first Nigerian airline to fly to Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The airline's statement recently disclosed that it deployed a Boeing 777 aircraft to the airport, becoming the first Nigerian airline on the St. Kitts and Nevis arrivals board.

According to the statement, the milestone came amid an arranged Pan-African business conference in the Eastern Caribbean, with delegates from Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng