Nigerian foremost carrier, Air Peace, has acquired a B737-800NG to boost its domestic and regional operations.
The addition, according to Stanley Olisa, the Corporate Communications Executive, is in line with the airline’s expansion plans.
Olisa said the aircraft arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 8pm on Thursday from Europe.
According to him, the new arrival is a 160 seater aircraft comprising 16 Business Class and 144 economy class seats.
“Air Peace, West and Central Africa’s largest airline, last year became the first airline in sub Saharan Africa to place a firm order for 10 B737 Max,” Olisa said.
The airline earlier this year made an order for 20 brand new 124 seater E195-E2 jets from Embraer, thereby making history as the launch customer of this new aircraft in the entire Africa.”
But more than that, Air Peace doesn’t have a 737-800 in its fleet yet. This will be the first. It has 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 on order as well as a pending order of 20 Embraer 195-E2, according to Wikipedia. The airline also flies some 777 and 737 varieties and a Dornier 328-200.
Its fleet is definitely diverse and that’s important. In order to be successful, Air Peace is adopting the strategy of taking on multiple aircraft models. It allows the airline more flexibility when it comes to route expansion and scheduling which will hopefully attract the attention of a wide selection of passengers. A Boeing 737-800 will further help it diversify its fleet and expand its network.
Olisa said having successfully started operations on the Sharjah-Dubai route on July 5, Air Peace would soon began services on international routes such as London, Houston, Johannesburg, Mumbai and Guangzhou.
He added that the airline was grateful to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for creating the enabling environment that made it possible for the airline to achieve this feat within a very short time of its existence.
“Our Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, is eternally grateful to President Buhari for making it possible for Air Peace to become what she is within the four years of the President’s regime.
“This is through the zero tax regime on imported commercial aircraft and aircraft spares introduced by his administration,” Olisa said.
This year, it completed its first long haul international service to Sharjah, UAE. But it’s looking at more destinations to add to its route network. At the top of the list are Johannesburg, Mumbai, Guangzhou, Houston, and London. Perhaps this Boeing 737-800NG will be instrumental in making some of the airline’s dreams come true.
