Air Peace has expanded its United Kingdom operations with the launch of a direct flight service between Abuja and London Heathrow Airport, following the earlier commencement of its Lagos–London Gatwick route.
The announcement was made by the airline via its official X account. One of the posts included a video showing the Air Peace aircraft taxiing to a stop after touching down at Heathrow Airport at around 10:54 p.m. (WAT) on October 26, 2025.
The airline described the development as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigerian aviation, highlighting the lively atmosphere at the Abuja check-in area ahead of departure.
In the post announcing the commencement of the Abuja–Heathrow service, a video also showed the ceremonial flag-off event where the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and several other dignitaries were present to witness the inaugural flight to London.
“Today, we officially launched our Abuja–London @HeathrowAirport service marking the beginning of a new chapter in our history,” Air Peace stated in a post.
It added, “This isn’t just a route; it’s a statement of how far we’ve come as a proudly Nigerian airline. From Lagos–Gatwick to now Abuja–Heathrow, we’re expanding opportunities, deepening global access, and flying the Nigerian flag higher than ever before.”
Checks by Nairametrics showed that bookings for the Abuja to Heathrow flights on the airline’s official website indicated that economy class fares started at N981,300, while business class fares were priced from N2,398,600 for the next available flights on October 31 and November 1.
More insights
The new service followed months of diplomatic negotiations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
- The Federal Government secured the Heathrow landing slot for Air Peace in June 2025 after a series of talks aimed at ensuring fair and reciprocal access for Nigerian airlines on UK routes.
- The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, described the achievement as a significant diplomatic milestone that demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to protecting the interests of its local carriers on international routes.
He noted that the slot allocation was the outcome of sustained government engagement to uphold the country’s rights within the existing BASA framework.
What you should know
Air Peace launched its Nigeria to United Kingdom service through the Lagos to London Gatwick route on March 30, 2024, after initially seeking access to Heathrow.
The entry disrupted the market with lower fares as economy class tickets started at about N1.2 million compared to the N3 to N5 million range offered by foreign carriers. Business class fares began at around N4.5 million, making premium travel more accessible to Nigerians.
- Following the launch, Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, alleged that foreign competitors responded by cutting their fares in a bid to undercut the Nigerian carrier.
- Despite these challenges, Air Peace expanded connectivity in April 2024 to include seven additional cities such as Abuja, Asaba, Benin, Enugu, Owerri, Warri and Port Harcourt, allowing domestic passengers to connect seamlessly to its Lagos to London flights.
By December 2024, the airline further extended its reach to Chinua Achebe International Airport in Umueri, Anambra State, creating another departure option for Southeastern travellers heading to London.
