The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has formally communicated with the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, regarding the lack of available slots for Nigeria's national airline, Air Peace, at Heathrow Airport.

Currently, Air Peace operates from Gatwick, which is classified as a secondary airport, due to its inability to secure slots at Heathrow.

During a seminar held by the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos on July 26, the Minister expressed that Nigeria would no longer tolerate a situation where its airlines are excluded from tier one airports abroad, in accordance with the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). He indicated that the continued denial of Air Peace access to Heathrow could compel Nigeria to restrict British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to secondary airports.

In line with this assertion, Keyamo sent a letter dated August 1, 2024, to Haigh, cautioning that if Air Peace is not granted a slot at London Heathrow, the Nigerian government would have no choice but to deny British airlines access to slots at Lagos and Abuja airports.

In his correspondence, he stated, “Following the approval granted to the airline by the Nigerian government to operate the Abuja-London route, the airline sought slot allocation at London Heathrow Airport for flights scheduled to begin in November 2024, during the IATA Winter Season. It is deeply disappointing that, to date, the airline has not received any positive response from the Slot Office.”

Keyamo reminded the UK that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate in Lagos and Abuja without restrictions, asserting, “It is essential for Nigerian designated carriers to receive the same level of reciprocity that British carriers currently enjoy. It is profoundly unjust on the part of the British authorities and a disservice to the Nigerian authorities and the nation as a whole for slot allocation for Nigerian carriers to consistently pose a challenge. We feel profoundly let down by the British authorities for failing to reciprocate the goodwill extended by the Nigerian State and its citizens.

“The matter of slot allocation should not serve as a pretext to overlook the existence of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which is fundamentally grounded in the principle of reciprocity. Any concessionary arrangements made with third parties regarding your airports should legally transfer your existing obligations, particularly those stipulated in Bilateral Services Agreements, concerning the utilization of those airports.

“In light of this, I must assert that if Air Peace is not granted a slot at London Heathrow Airport, it may become increasingly challenging for British flag carriers to access Nigeria’s premier airports starting from the next winter season, unless we engage in an open dialogue to resolve the ongoing issues related to slot allocation at Heathrow for the airline and other Nigerian designated carriers.

“As we await your prompt intervention on this critical matter that resonates deeply with Nigerians, please accept my sincere regards.”