Aviation analysts and stakeholders yesterday hailed the decision by the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, to demand a slot for Nigeria’s Air Peace to fly to the United Kingdom’s busiest and most primed airport, Heathrow.
They however called for the deployment of tact and diplomacy in handling the issue while advocating for the involvement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Keyamo had earlier at a conference in Lagos said he would write the UK authorities to allow Air Peace operate its Abuja-London flight to Heathrow as against Gatwick Airport where the airline operates to since it launched its flight from Lagos on March 31.
The minister argued that since the British carriers – British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – were given Nigeria’s primary airports – the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; the UK government should also allow Air Peace to fly to Heathrow in line with the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA).
While the Heathrow airport operates on slots sold to airlines, the Minister stated that the slot 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.
“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 said.
A source in the Ministry of Aviation confirmed that the letter has been dispatched through the British High Commission in Nigeria while a response is being awaited.
Keyamo had threatened to bar BA and Virgin Atlantic to other secondary airports in Nigeria if the request of Air Peace was not met.