By Chinedu Eze:
Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace, yesterday announced that it would today resume flights to Johannesburg, South Africa, two months after it suspended service due to high cost of operation.
The airline in a statement, said that it would resume flights from October 9, 2022.“This is to inform the flying public that our Johannesburg service resumes on Sunday, October 9, 2022. The schedules are now live on our website/mobile app, and you can now book your flights to South Africa. We look forward to having you on board,” Air Peace said.
Nigeria’s biggest operator decided to suspend flights to Johannesburg early August 2022 when it couldn’t cope with the high cost of aviation fuel and low passenger traffic due to the failure of the South African Embassy in Nigeria to issue visas to Nigerians who were willing to travel to the country.
The airline noted that the high cost and scarcity of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, forced it to suspend its Lagos-Johannesburg flight operations.The airline explained then that due to the turbulent times the aviation industry was experiencing with Jet A1 fuel price increase, scarcity of forex and a delay in visa issuance for South African travel passengers, it had to stop the service.
There are indications that the airline decided to resume service, especially now that the Christmas season approaches, as many Nigerians would like to return to their fatherland.
Aviation experts have commended Air Peace for its decision to return to Johannesburg in order to tame the cut-throat fares introduced on that route since its withdrawal.
“Air Peace’s resumption of flights to Johannesburg will help bring down the fare, which to me is exploitative because there is only one direct flight from Nigeria. Now, the route is going to be competitive and it will be to the benefits of travellers,” one industry stakeholder told THISDAY.
