TheCable

Air Peace has expanded flight operations to Jamaica as the airline resumes regional and international trips in December.

Toyin Olajide, the airline’s chief operating officer, made the announcement saying Air Peace is “bouncing back” from the hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

She said Air Peace frequencies and destinations reduced as the company’s aircraft were out of the country undergoing checks before the imposition of lockdowns.

Olajide said the checks were in line with Nigerian C-check regime which requires every aircraft to go for mandatory checks between 18 to 24 months.

“In recent times, our teeming customers have been worried that our flight frequencies have been drastically reduced to about 30 percent of our capacity before COVID-19. They are equally worried that their favourite airline has also suspended their flight operations into some destinations,” she said.

“The above scenario has created some worries of varying degrees in the minds of those who really care for us — our customers. We wish to state here and now that there is no cause for alarm. We still remain the airline to beat.

“Covid-19 affected airlines everywhere in different ways. In our own case, we had several aircraft out on C-check maintenance abroad before COVID-19. These aircraft were supposed to have since come back one after another but because of lockdown in those countries since February, the maintenance facilities shut down too. No maintenance took place.”

Olajide said the airline’s aircraft will return to the country from next week in addition to three brand new aircraft.

She said double flights will be implemented for destinations like Uyo, Calabar, Kano, Yola, Akure and Sokoto, while multiple frequencies will be restored for trips to Owerri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Benin.

The airline’s COO said international flights to Accra, Banjul, Freetown, Dakar, Monrovia, Dubai, and Johannesburg will resume in December while flight operations to Jamaica will be commissioned.

“We spare no effort in making sure that all our aircraft are well maintained in the best maintenance facilities worldwide. We are bouncing back,” she said.

“We shall compensate those suspended destinations like Uyo, Calabar, Kano, Yola, Akure and Sokoto with double flights while restoring multiple frequencies to the likes of Owerri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Benin.

“Our regional and international flights shall commence this December into Accra, Banjul, Freetown, Dakar, Monrovia, Dubai, Johannesburg while doing an inaugural international flight to Jamaica.”