Boeing 777 Service: Air Peace Becomes 1st Nigerian Airline To Fly Nonstop To Antigua & Barbuda

Talks are ongoing regarding scheduled commercial flights.

Air Peace is celebrating its first flight to Antigua and Barbuda, becoming the first Nigerian carrier to operate a nonstop flight to the Caribbean island nation.

On August 5th, Air Peace Flight P47554 departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS), Lagos at 14:43, touching down at V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU) at 18:32.

The flight is one of two special flights arranged between Air Peace and the Antigua and Barbuda government timed around the Antigua Carnival - the other flight will depart Lagos on August 9th. Among the approximately 200 passengers on the inaugural flight were 16 members of the Nigerian National Dance Theatre set to perform at the carnival, as well as businesspeople attending a conference on investment opportunities.

The inaugural flight was operated by an Air Peace Boeing 777 (registration: 5N-BWI) delivered to the airline in 2019. According to a New Telegraph report, return economy fares were priced at 860,000 Naira ($1,222), while business class returns were 4,400,000 Naira ($5,744).

It should be noted that Air Peace has not yet struck an agreement to operate scheduled flights to the Caribbean country, but talks are still ongoing.

Service between the two countries was formerly provided by state-backed virtual airline Antigua Airways, which arranged charter flights. However, the airline went bust after its operation was imitated by people smugglers, who used charter flights to transport illegal immigrants into Antigua and Barbuda for up to $5,000 a ticket.

Spokesperson of Air Peace, Stanley Olisa, said that the flights would help foster further cooperation between the two countries and open up investment opportunities. Olisa added that Antigua and Barbuda has major potential for tourism investment from Nigerian investors and hopes future services can establish the island as a popular getaway for Nigerians.

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As Simple Flying reported earlier this year, Air Peace continues discussions regarding investment in revived Antigua and Barbuda-based carrier LIAT (Leeward Islands Air Transport). LIAT folded soon after the COVID pandemic broke out, and a resurrected 'LIAT 2020' has yet to take off due to a lack of investment.

As reported by Loop, Minister of Information Melford Nicholas commented,

"There is going to have to be an increase in the fleet of LIAT 2020. And of course, we do believe that LIAT 2020, with an expanded fleet and a resuscitation of its operations, will bring some of the fixes that are required. Because it gives consumers the option of having another carrier that they can rely on."

Reports from earlier this year claimed Air Peace would take a majority stake in the Caribbean carrier, which is backed by the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Do you think Air Peace should launch regular services between Nigeria and Antigua and Barbuda? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Loop, New Telegraph

Journalist - With 10 years of experience as a travel writer and aviation analyst, Luke has worked with industry-leaders including Skyscanner, KLM and HotelsCombined throughout his career. As a passionate traveler based across the Middle East and East Asia, Luke offers strong insights into the travel and aviation industry. Based in the United Kingdom