Tag: Air peace

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BUSINESS HEADLINES

Our aircraft not seized in the U.S – Air Peace

Air Peace resumes Dubai flights Feb. 5, increases operations to Enugu
An Air Peace plane

Private Nigerian airline, Air Peace, has on Thursday debunked rumors that its aircraft was siezed in Atlanta, in the United States.

The airline whose head office is located in Ikeja, Lagos State said it had no links with any airplane seized in the U.S.

Air Peace
Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema

According to Air Peace Corporate Commumications /Media Executive, Stanley Olisa, the company does not currently have any aircraft in the US.

He said: ” Linking Air peace to the aircraft that was seized in the US is the act of mischief makers locally who are bent on tarnishing the image of the airline and its owner.

“We have since learnt that the actual owner of the aircraft appeared in court on Tuesday in the US but unfortunately, some people are still linking the aircraft to Air Peace.”

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NEWS & LIFE

Air Peace to commence flight operation to Ibadan

Air Peace to commence flight operation to Ibadan
AIR PEACE

Air Peace says it will soon begin flight operations to Ibadan from Kano, Owerri and Abuja.

The Chairman of the airline, Mr Allen Onyeama, made the announcement in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.

Onyema said: “Very soon, we shall start flying Abuja-Ibadan-Abuja daily, Kano-Ibadan-Kano and Owerri-Ibadan-Owerri, three times a week.

The airline in November announced the commencement of Kano-Owerri-Kano flights.

Onyeama explained that the recent Corporate Award of Excellence to the airline by University of Ibadan was in recognition of its unparalleled excellence in the delivery of safe and comfortable flights.

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HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Alleged fraud: Onyema’s passport seized by EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized the passport of the chief executive officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema.

This is coming after he was accused of bank fraud and laundering over $20 million from Nigeria through US bank accounts which he allegedly used in buying aeroplanes.

According to The Nation, the anti-graft agency needs to establish a prima facie case, arraign the suspect in court before any extradition application can be initiated.

“Following his interaction with our detectives, it became imperative to restrict his movement to the country because we will need him from time to time,” the newspaper quoted a source in the commission have said.

“We have seized his passports for an unfettered comprehensive investigation. And so far, he has cooperated with our team.

“During our interaction, he maintained his innocence. We have, however, made progress in our preliminary investigation.

“The extradition process is within the purview of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. You should not forget that the EFCC has to investigate, establish prima facie case and arraigning the suspects in court before any extradition application can be initiated.

“The US government knows what to do as far as the invocation of the MLAT is concerned. We are only fulfilling our own part of the collaboration with the relevant US agencies.”

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NEWS & LIFE

Air Peace to begin flight operations to Makurdi in November – Onyema

Air Peace expands domestic network, reactivates suspended routes
Air Peace

The Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema on Thursday said the airline would begin flight operations to Makurdi, Benue capital before the end of November.

Onyema made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The chairman said: “our flights to Benue will begin before the end of November because we have almost finalised preparations.

“We are only waiting to receive another Embraer 145 Jet which we are using for such operations.’’

Air Peace had on June 28, 2018 signed an agreement with the Benue State Government to operate flights to Makurdi.

The Chief Operating Officer, Air Peace, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide, had said that the airline would deliver exceptional flight experience to residents of Benue and others travelling on the Makurdi route.

Olajide said the route would be serviced by an Embraer 145 jet, under Air Peace Hopper, the airline’s subsidiary and would terminate at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi.

According to her, the operations will cover Abuja-Makurdi-Abuja and Lagos-Makurdi-Lagos.

The Chief of Staff to Benue State Governor, Mr Terwase Obunde, had assured the airline of the government’s support to ensure its success on the route.

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HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Xenophobia: Royal welcome for Air Peace boss at National Assembly

Air Peace lauds FG move on reciprocity in airlines operation
Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema

Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, is savouring the fruits of patriotism at the highest level.
After accolades from many Nigerians – offline and online – it is time for the House of Representatives to honour him and the emotions that welcomed him into the chambers was more than presidential.

As ‘The Punch’ reports, the House, which had resolved to honour him over the free services offered by his domestic airline to evacuate Nigerians under xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“This is one of our epic moments in the chambers,” Gbajabiamila was quoted as saying.

Onyeama

It adds, “The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, shortly after saying the opening prayers, asked that the Order Paper for Wednesday’s plenary be temporarily suspended to allow the lawmakers to receive Onyema for recognition.

“As the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, ushered Onyema into the chamber, several lawmakers approached him to embrace and shake hands with him.

More lawmakers also approached the Air Peace boss where he was seated to greet him.

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HEADLINES INTERNATIONAL

Xenophobia: South Africa denies Air Peace landing permit – MD

Air-Peace-
Air-Peace-

Plan by Nigeria to evacuate another 320 of its nationals in South Africa today has suffered a setback.
The management of the airline handling the evacuation, Airspace, said it could not yet proceed to South Africa because the country had declined to give it landing permit.

The evacuation of the second batch of Nigerians from South Africa owing to ongo
The airline has volunteered to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to the country following the recent violence against foreigners in the southern African country.

Air Peace, in collaboration with the Federal Government, had on Sept. 11 evacuated the first batch of 187 Nigerians from South Africa.

There was a plan for the airline to evacuate another batch of 320 Nigerians who had indicated interest to return home, with the flight expected to arrive in Lagos at 7.00p.m on Tuesday.

However, Mr Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, told newsmen in Lagos that the airline’s B777 aircraft deployed for the operation was still on standby at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

ALSO READ: ‘Returnees from South Africa get free sim cards, airtime to last two months’

According to him, the aircraft is supposed to have departed Lagos at 1.00 am, but was denied landing permit by the South African authorities.

“We did not take off at 1:00am as scheduled because South African authorities are yet to give us landing permit.

READ ALSO: South Africans march for peace, apologise over xenophobia

“We are hopeful that they will give us the permit. Our crew waited till 3:00 am, but when the permit did not come, they went back to the hotel.

“Once we get the permit we will set off to South Africa. We don’t want to speculate but we are hopeful they will give the permit,”Onyema said.

NAN reports that the South African authorities had on Sept. 11 also prevented some Nigerians from leaving the country, by insisting on a fresh profiling exercise in spite of the one earlier conducted by the Nigerian High Commission.

The situation led to several hours of delay before 187 of the more than 300 Nigerians were successfully evacuated

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NEWS & LIFE PHENOMENAL LAGOS

Lagos Airport reopens for flight operations after Air Peace aircraft incident

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has reopened the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos for flight operations, following Tuesday’s incident involving an Air Peace aircraft at the airport.ma

The General manager, Public Relations, NAMA, Mr Khalid Emele, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Emele said Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) was issued to airlines at 7.oop.m concerning the reopening of the runway which was closed after an Air Peace flight from Port Harcourt made an emergency landing at the airport.

NAN reports that the runway was shut for flight operations at about 11:28a.m after the Boeing 737 Aircraft with registration number 5N-BQO, made a hard landing and lost its nosewheel.

However, the 133 passengers and six crew members on board were safely disembarked by the emergency response agencies.

Earlier, Mr Akin Olateru, the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), said the bureau had been notified of the incident and had sent its inspectors to the site.

Olateru said: “The AIB has been notified by Air Peace on July 23 of an accident involving a Boeing 737-300 with registration marks SN-BQO at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 11:28a.m.

“The aircraft, with 133 passengers and six crew members on board, was on approach to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from Port Harcourt.

“From the information provided, the aircraft nose wheel collapsed on landing on the runway (18R) and the nose wheel gear tire sheared off.

“The AIB was informed of a minor injury, but no fatality. Our team of safety investigators have commenced investigations,” he said.

NAN reports that the closure of the runway had led to flight delays at the MMIA which is the busiest airport in Nigeria.

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NEWS & LIFE

Nigeria’s Air Peace receives rousing reception at Dubai Airport

Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, got a rousing reception at the Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following an inaugural flight to commence services to the Middle East nation.

The flight departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja at about 10.15 p.m. on Friday and arrived at 9.10 a.m. on Saturday at the Sharjah-Dubai Airport.

The B777 aircraft was operated by the Chief Pilot of Air Peace, Capt. Victor Egonu.

Among the dignitaries on board the flight were the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, former Anambra Governor, Mr Peter Obi and the Rector of the International Aviation College, Ilorin, Mr Benjamin Adeyileka.

Others include Nigerian musician, Kingsley Okonkwo (Kcee) and Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fibrerisima.

The inaugural flight was given a rousing reception by aviation authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials and the business community at the Sharjah International Airport.

Speaking to reporters at the reception ceremony, Onyema said that the airline had acquired four B777 air planes for its long-haul operations with three of the planes already delivered.

According to him, the airline which started flights on Oct. 24, 2014 currently operates into Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Gambia and Sierra Leone.

“We have been designated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to operate flights into six international destinations, including Dubai.

“The launch of our flight operations into Dubai, UAE, will mark a major milestone in our vision to seamlessly connect the West coast of Africa to other parts of the world thereby contributing to the region’s economy.”

Onyema said that Johannesburg, London, Houston, Guangzhou and Mumbai would soon join the airline’s international route network.

He thanked Nigerians for their support to the airline, which he said, had made the company to become a major player in the West African sub-region.

NAN reports that Air Peace has scheduled to operate flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays to Dubai, while Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays would be for flights back to Lagos.

The airline is currently the only Nigerian carrier operating on the lucrative Lagos-Dubai route, following the suspension of flight services on the route by Medview Airlines in March last year.

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NEWS & LIFE

Air Peace calls for more synergy between NCAA, AIB to enhance safety

Air peace
Air peace

The Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, has called for more synergy between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) to enhance air safety in Nigeria.

Capt. Victor Egonu, the Chief Pilot, Air Peace, made the call while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Ikeja.

Egonu said the call was necessitated by the AIB allegation that Air Peace had failed to report an incident involving one of its aircraft on May 15 to the bureau.

Air peace
Air peace

The chief pilot said the airline had reported the same incident to the NCAA.

He said: “The claim by AIB that we concealed the hard landing incident involving our Boeing 737-300 aircraft with registration number 5N – BUK at the Lagos Airport is inaccurate.

“We informed the NCAA and also filed
a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) which was duly received by the NCAA on May 17.

“Since we had informed NCAA, which is the regulatory agency, we felt that all the agencies are working together toward the same goal of safety.

“Air Peace strongly believe that NCAA and AIB should work together to enhance air safety in the country, and not be in any competition between themselves.

Egonu said Air Peace also wrote to Boeing and the manufacturer of the aircraft’s engine and CPM International.
The chief pilot said the organisation was awaiting response to be able to carry out the needed repairs before it was cleared for flying by the authorities.

He also disclosed that the airline was cooperating with the AIB in the investigation of the June 22 incident involving its aircraft that overshot the runway while touching down at the Port Harcourt Airport.

According to him, the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) of the B737-500 aircraft has been released to the bureau for analysis in order to unravel the cause of the incident.

Egonu said while not attempting to preempt the AIB investigation, the airline’s preliminary investigation revealed that it was due to “aquaplaning”, a condition involving an aircraft landing on a very wet surface.

According to him, the runway at the airport was flooded due to downpour which caused the aircraft to skid off but fortunately there was no casualty.

He said there was need to urgently rehabilitate the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, runways to prevent such incidents in future.

The chief pilot said Air Peace remains committed to the training and retraining of its 136 pilots to ensure their safety and that of the airline’s esteemed guests.

“If any airline have an incident in Nigeria, it affects everybody especially the confidence of passengers on our airlines.

“So, we don’t take anything for granted because Air Peace is a safety conscious airline,” he added.