Start-Up Carrier Offers Nigerian Military Personnel N10,000 Air Fare

As part of efforts to assist the federal government in reaching out to the Nigeria Armed Forces, start-up carrier, Air Peace, is offering N10, 000 air fare to each retired and serving military personnel on all flights in the country, including business class.

Chairman of the airline Mr. Allen Onyema said this was part of his contributions to support the military in carrying out its statutory responsibility. He noted that the policy is in line with the practice in the United States, where the military is given such assistance to encourage them for what they have done and are doing for the country.
The military he said, has played a huge role in keeping the nation together since the civil war years till date.

He said it is only important to reward the efforts of the military through this gesture.

Onyema said the military over the years has made huge sacrifice to maintain peace and order in the country, which could only be appreciated with the lower fare offer.

He disclosed this week at the unveiling of Air Peace at the departure hall of the domestic wing of the Lagos Airport (GAT).

The Air Peace boss said the airline is committed to supporting the Armed Forces and other institutions that are committed to the harmonious coexistence of the country.

According to him, no business could grow if the country is not enjoying an atmosphere of peace and stability, hence the need to support the military and other institutions in carrying out their statutory responsibility.

Onyema said his major objective in establishing the carrier is to create jobs, although he knew that airline business has very small margin of profit.

“We want to change the way thing are done in the air transport industry in Nigeria. We want to put an end to animosities among the airlines and to make domestic carriers to work together for the benefit of Nigerians. Such unhealthy competition among the airlines should belong to the past. The market is large enough for everyone if we can only work together,” Onyema said.

He observed that air transport has not been made appealing to Nigerians because of its high fares and the fact that airlines have failed to collaborate to make air transport attractive and affordable to the citizens.
Onyema said it is really embarrassing that less than two per cent of the nation’s 170 million people travel by air, adding that if fares are made affordable and there is cooperation among airlines, more Nigerians would travel and the existing airlines would not even meet the demand if about three per cent of the citizens travel by air.

“There is enough room for everybody so we need to cooperate to make air travel better in Nigeria; although many Nigerians are afraid to travel because of the sad issues of air crashes in the past. But air travel is safer today because the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has improved safety through strict enforcement of regulations,” he said.


The Chairman of Air Peace said the airline has set the pace for cooperation, remarking that it is only in Nigeria that airlines do not code-share, adding that Air Peace wished to partner with other Nigerian airlines.

He commended other airlines in the country, including Aero, Azman Airline, Discovery Air, Dana Air, Overland Airways, First Nation, Medview Airline and Arik Air, remarking that Arik has changed the face of air transport industry in Nigeria.

Onyema said Air Peace has introduced wifi for passengesr and Peace Miles to encourage the airlines customers so that when the passenger accumulates a certain number of miles he can be upgraded to business class.

He said that the airline has seven aircraft in its fleet and a highly motivated staff, adding that the airline is already sustaining over 250 jobs and is employing more Nigerians.

Culled from thisdaylive.com