A fresh diplomatic row is emerging between Nigeria and Britain over the refusal of British airport authorities to grant Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, access to operate flights into Heathrow Airport.
This denial has sparked tensions as it contradicts the existing dual designation policy between the two countries, which allows at least two carriers from each nation to operate freely and equally into each other’s territories.
This development could strain bilateral relations and may require diplomatic intervention to resolve the impasse and ensure adherence to the agreed-upon aviation policies.
While British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, the two British carriers, have been enjoying multiple entry points into Nigeria, the British government has continued to restrict Air Peace to Gatwick Airport, which is less accessible than Heathrow.
In response to this perceived imbalance, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has lodged a formal complaint with his British counterpart.
In a letter dated August 1, 2024, addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Keyamo warned that if Air Peace is not allocated a slot at London Heathrow, Nigeria will be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports, which are the most popular and lucrative routes for the British carriers.
Keyamo’s letter indicates that if the situation is not rectified, Nigeria may restrict British carriers to alternative airports outside Lagos and Abuja, such as Ilorin or Kano. The Minister has accused the British government of deliberately attempting to protect its two flag carriers from competition with the Nigerian airline on the highly lucrative Lagos-London route.
Efforts by Air Peace to secure a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the heart of London, have so far been unsuccessful. The Nigerian government views this as a significant issue, given the bilateral air services agreement (BASA) that is supposed to ensure mutual and fair access to key airports in both countries.
At a recent seminar organized by the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos, Keyamo reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting local airlines, particularly in the absence of a national carrier.
He stated that the government would no longer tolerate a situation where Nigerian airlines are denied access to accessible airports overseas, particularly when the BASA agreement is supposed to guarantee such access.
Keyamo emphasized, “We should have flag carriers who will make us proud and service our reciprocal rights under the BASA. We have already written to the United Kingdom to grant Nigerian carriers, especially Air Peace, access to Heathrow Airport, just as British Airways has access to Lagos, our tier-one airport. If this is not done, we may as well allocate Ilorin to BA.”
He further criticized the process by which Air Peace has been directed to approach a slot committee for access to Heathrow, questioning the fairness of such a process.
Keyamo underscored the need for Nigerian airlines to be supported to grow and to be able to reciprocate in various international agreements, noting that while foreign airlines like Air France, Lufthansa, and Delta operate in Nigeria, no Nigerian airline currently flies to Paris, Frankfurt, or the United States.
