Nigeria Civil Aviation in the last one week has been receiving world commendation.
The sector which was recently rated as having one of the highest number of unserviceable aircraft in the world is suddenly being seen as one with the highest potentials on the Africa continent, capable of competing with the best in world civil aviation.
This sudden world applause is due to the delivery of the first of the 13 brand new Embraer E195-E2 Nigerian Air Peace airline placed order for in April 2019 at the Embraer Business Meeting at Port Louis, Mauritius.
The order includes purchase rights for additional 17 E195-E2 jets.
If fully executed, the contract has a value of about N640.5 billion or $2.12 billion based on the current price list.
Commenting on the acquisition of the new Embraer E195-E2 jet by Air Peace, a renowned Indian Aviation writer and commentator Mr Pranjal Pande, said, “ Nigeria’s Air Peace has taken delivery of its first Embraer E195-E2 this week. While the delivery of any new aircraft type is notable, the business cabin on this E195 is particularly unique, offering all passengers direct aisle access.
“Usually, business class on regional jets isn’t a notable experience, with relatively narrow seats in a 1-2 or 2-2 configuration. However, Air Peace’s new E195 fleet shatters this idea of not having direct aisle for all business passengers.
“The carrier has given every passenger direct aisle access by offsetting each seat from the one next to it. This allows passengers to enter and leave their seats without disturbing or needing to hop over their seat neighbors”
“Registered 5N-BYF, the new E195 marks the first delivery for Air Peace and the first E2 jet to any African airline. The leading Nigerian carrier will deploy the aircraft on regional routes, taking advantage of the plane’s impressive 2,600 nautical mile range”.
Speaking during the ceremony to receive the new Embraer aircraft at the Nnamidi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ricardo Guerra de Araujo, said the feat of Air Peace was a remarkable one for Nigeria and Africa.
He revealed that Air Peace is the “launch customer of this aircraft type in Africa”.
The Ambassador expressed optimism that Air Peace would consider direct flight between Nigeria and Brazil as it has demonstrated ability to operate into any destinations during its evacuation flights at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Explaining why the airline is purchasing 13 of the aircraft type, the chairman of Air Peace , Barrister Allen Onyema said : “The E195-E2 is the perfect aircraft to expand our domestic and regional operations. We are aware of the aircraft’s impressive economic performance as well as its unique configuration, the major reasons we placed an order for this aircraft.
”The E195-E2 aircraft will further help us actualise our ambition of connecting not just the whole of Nigeria, but the entire African continent, while feeding long-haul flights from our Lagos hub.”
“It is also great that we will be the first E2 operator on the African continent. We already have the ERJ145s in our fleet. So, we understand the high standards of Embraer products.
“The E195-E2 aircraft will strengthen Air Peace’s drive to deploy the right kinds of planes to under-served and unserved domestic and regional routes under its no-city-left-behind project.”
Air Peace is now the biggest in West Africa. The coronavirus pandemic has however, slowed its long-haul ambitions as the airline already has approval to operate into Mumbai, India, Tel Aviv, Israel, London, Houston, USA amongst others.
It currently operates Lagos – Johannesburg, South Africa direct route and Lagos-Sharjah, Dubai, UAE route which it has just resumes again in February.
Recall the airline had launched the no-city-left-behind initiative sometimes last year with scheduled services into Yola, Jos, Minna, Calabar, Akure, Ibadan, Kebbi, Asaba and other domestic destinations .
The acquisition of eight Embraer ERJ145 50-seater jets has helped it to actualise this initiative. It has also acquired four Boeing777 aircraft for its international operations into South Africa, Dubai, and up coming routes like Beijing, India, London, Israel and the U.S., among others.
All these acquisition of aircraft and routes expansion are happening within the last Six years the airline has operated.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who was a special guest of honour during the delivery ceremony of the new aircraft at Abuja Airport commended Air Peace for keying into the Aviation Roadmap of the Nigerian government.
According to Sirika, the Aviation Roadmap of the current administration encourages airline operators to buy new aircraft as it was the right way to go for “a modern commercial carrier that wants to compete, survive and endure”.
He said Nigeria has had its fair share of airlines using the wrong aircraft type, earning the nation the bad reputation of being among countries with the highest number of unserviceable aircraft.
The Minister said, “We must never forget that the propensity to fly is determined by the price of the ticket, and in turn the choice of equipment. The equipment type determines the profitability and sustainability of operations. There is no way an airline that has invested in the wrong equipment can compete with one that has new aircraft. A new aircraft is fuel-efficient, requires minimal maintenance, the low workload on pilots and higher profit; all of which wrong equipment does not have.
“I will urge other operators to rethink their type of equipment for sustenance, following the example of Air Peace. Air Peace has keyed into the sectoral roadmap of aviation and it is commendable.”
Speaking at the Customer Experience Centre of Embraer Aircraft Manufacturing Company in San Jose, Brazil while receiving Air Peace inspection team to the factory, Embraer’s Chief Executive Officer ,CEO, Mr. Francisco Gomes Neto, said that Air Peace had made history with the delivery of the aircraft.
Neto said that the aircraft was one of the most fuel efficient in the world with state-of-the-art equipment, that the airline’s engineers would take delight in the technology, its pilots would fly the brand with ease, while its commercial department would appreciate its economic value.
There is a general consensus that a new dawn is beginning in the Nigeria aviation industry with Air Peace new acquisition. Others domestic airline operators will be challenged to follow the Air Peace example.
NP/Confidence Okwuchi
OccupyLekki: Mr Macaroni, other protesters arraigned
Popular comedian Debo Adebayo, also known as Mr Macaroni, has been arraigned before a mobile court in Lagos State, The PUNCH has learnt.
Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Saturday.
“He (Mr Macaroni) and others have been arraigned before a mobile court. I will release a statement on it shortly,” the Police Spokesman said.
Mr Macaroni was arrested on Saturday for protesting at the Lekki toll gate where he demanded that justice be served to the alleged victims of the October 20 2020 #EndSARS protest at the toll plaza.
He and 30 other #OccupyLekkiTollgate campaigners were arrested and detained by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command.
Many civil rights organisation including Amnesty International have demanded the release of Mr Macaroni and the other detained protesters.
NP/Confidence Okwuchi
