Air Peace has pledged seamless air travel with its route expansion programme to connect more local, regional and international destinations.
The airline’s chairman and chief executive officer, Mr. Allen Onyema disclosed this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where he was conferred with the award of ‘Aviation Man of the Year 2016’ by ATQnews and Akwaaba African Travel Market.
Speaking at the event christened “Port Harcourt Bantaba”, Onyema who was represented by the airline’s spokesman, Mr. Christian Iwarah said Air Peace was strengthening its fleet with Boeing 777 aircraft in preparation for the launch of its Guangzhou-China, Dubai, Mumbai, Atlanta, London and other long-haul routes.
He said the airline, which had added a Friday evening flight to its daily Lagos-Accra-Lagos route, would make Enugu the base of its Guangzhou-China operations.
Air Peace, he said, had distinguished itself in the Nigerian aviation industry with its unrivalled on-time performance, safety and maintenance record.
Responding to a question on the ownership of the airline, Onyema dismissed insinuations that a former First Lady fondly referred to as “Mama Peace” had interest in the carrier.
He said Air Peace symbolises the effort of his organisation, the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) to promote peace in the country through the creation of gainful employment for thousands of converted militant agitators and other jobless Nigerians.
He insisted that efforts to set up the airline predated Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Onyema explained that he was advised to set up an airline because of its capacity to create massive job opportunities for members of the society.
Thereafter, he expressed gratitude to the organisers of the award for recognising his efforts to transform air travel experience in Nigeria and beyond and pledged to support the group in its programmes.
Meanwhile, the organiser of Port Harcourt Bantaba, Mr. Ikechi Uko said Onyema was chosen as the “Aviation Man of the Year 2016” for positioning Air Peace as Nigeria’s preferred airline and for expanding to Accra, Ghana.
