After years of lobbying for access to London’s most in-demand airport, Nigerian carrier Air Peace has finally secured slots at Heathrow and will launch flights from Abuja in late October. This milestone marks a major step in the airline’s long-term strategy to strengthen transcontinental connectivity while taking on established players in a lucrative market.
The first Air Peace service to Heathrow is scheduled to arrive on October 26, coinciding with the start of the winter season for airlines under IATA slot allocations. The carrier plans to operate the route three times a week using its Boeing 777-200ER. Currently, Air Peace has one active 777 flying between Lagos and London Gatwick; another stored aircraft is expected to return to service to support the expansion.
This new route will directly challenge British Airways, which runs daily Heathrow–Abuja flights with first-class-equipped 777-200ERs. Both airlines will offer overnight departures back to Nigeria, appealing to premium travelers seeking lie-flat beds despite the relatively short 5.5-hour flight time.
Heathrow Remains the Prize for African Connectivity
The Abuja–London market is one of the most important for travel between Africa and the UK, and securing Heathrow slots has been a long-standing goal for Air Peace. In 2024, approximately 140,000 round-trip passengers flew the Abuja–London route, nearly all via Heathrow.
What makes this market particularly attractive is its yield. The average fare (including fuel surcharges) was about $1,161 each way, making Heathrow–Abuja the highest-yielding large African market for the London hub. Demand for premium cabins is strong, supported in part by government travel and business connections between Nigeria and the UK.
Air Peace has openly criticized the difficulty of acquiring Heathrow access, often suggesting UK government influence. In reality, Heathrow slot allocation is managed independently by Airport Coordination Limited, which balances demand among carriers vying for scarce capacity at one of the world’s busiest wide-body hubs.
Challenges Persist Despite Breakthrough
While the new Heathrow slots represent a win, Air Peace didn’t get as many as it wanted. To make up for limited capacity, the airline will also launch flights from Abuja to London Gatwick. The service is set to begin on October 28 and will closely mirror the schedule for Heathrow.
Unlike the Heathrow service—which is expected to tap into robust existing demand—the Abuja–Gatwick route is starting almost from scratch. Historically, nearly all Abuja–London passengers have used Heathrow, with only about 7,000 travelers in 2024 flying between Abuja and Gatwick indirectly, typically connecting via hubs such as Istanbul or Casablanca.
Despite this, Air Peace is confident it can build up traffic, as it did with its Lagos–Gatwick route launched in March 2024. UK Civil Aviation Authority data shows the airline carried 107,000 round-trip passengers between Lagos and Gatwick last year, although load factors were a modest 74%, partly due to capacity fluctuations as Air Peace wet-leased aircraft like a Norse Atlantic 787-9.
Strategic Advantages of Abuja as a Hub
Abuja’s central location in Nigeria offers distinct advantages over Lagos for international-to-domestic connectivity. Whereas Lagos’ terminal separation complicates connections, Abuja’s airport layout makes it easier for passengers to transfer to domestic flights bound for cities like Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.
By expanding from Abuja to both Heathrow and Gatwick, Air Peace is betting on improved connectivity, greater convenience for government and business travelers, and an ability to capture a higher share of premium demand that has historically flowed almost exclusively to British Airways.
Looking Ahead: A Complex but High-Value Market
Air Peace’s two-pronged approach highlights the challenges faced by airlines wanting to grow in London’s slot-constrained environment. Like other African carriers—including Kenya Airways and Royal Air Maroc, which recently expanded UK service beyond Heathrow—Air Peace must balance cost and complexity to maintain a competitive foothold.
The airline’s long-term ambition will be to consolidate more of its UK flying at Heathrow, but with slots there at a premium, this may remain a difficult goal. In the meantime, by doubling down on both Heathrow and Gatwick from Abuja, Air Peace is signaling it is ready to compete aggressively for one of Africa’s most lucrative aviation markets.