Air Peace on Saturday took delivery of its second Boeing 777 aircraft, six months after the first arrived on February 23, 2018.
The 320-seater Boeing 777-300 aircraft christened ‘Ojochide’ has 12 first class, 48 business class and 260 economy class seats.
Marked 5N-BUU, the aircraft was flown into the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos by Capt. Victor Egonu and Senior First Officer Emmanuel Iwhiwhu.
On hand to receive the aircraft were the airline’s staff, aviation workers as well as personnel of the Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who performed fire salute ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Air Peace chairman/chief executive officer, Mr. Allen Onyema assured that the airline was ready to begin its international operations and fix the challenges of Nigerians, Africans and other travellers on the long-haul routes.
Onyema, who was represented by the airline’s chief operating officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide, said the carrier’s international operations would boost the Nigerian economy, create more jobs in the nation’s aviation and allied sectors and offer travellers an exceptional choice.
“We are very happy we’ve taken delivery of another of our Boeing 777 aircraft in preparation for our international operations and we are looking at commencing operations on one of the routes before the last quarter of the year.
“We believe that this will enable us create more employment opportunities for Nigerians because that is the reason we exist. We want to help curb the unemployment situation in the country,” Onyema said.
Onyema also disclosed that two more of the aircraft types were being expected before the end of the year to boost the airline’s international operations.
Onyema said the federal government had designated Air Peace to operate flights to London, Houston, Dubai, Sharjah, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai and Johannesburg adding that dates for commencement of flights to the destinations would be announced soon.
