Council lauds Air Peace over acquisition of Boeing 777
CONSUMER Protection Council (CPC) has congratulated Air Peace Airlines over its acquisition of a Boeing 777 aircraft, the first of such huge in vestment by a local carrier.
The Council, in a congratulatory message, described the feat as another major milestone in the airline’s journey to becoming a major carrier in Nigeria.
Air Peace took delivery of the B777-200, a 274-seat capacity aircraft, last weekend as first of the three B777 airliners for use on its Dubai, Sharjah, London, Guangzhou-china, Houston, Mumbai, and Johannesburg operations. The Boeing 777 is a family of long-range wide-body twinengine jet airliners developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial
Airplanes.
The Director General, CPC, Babatunde Irukera, said the Airline’s capacity to deploy a Boeing 777, “a tried and tested equipment with a legendary reputation for comfort and versatility as well as a remarkable record of safety,” is significant and plus to the Nigerian air travel market.
Irukera continued: “Air Peace’s acquisition of this world-class aircraft, and how it has grown both its fleet and routes in an almost meteoric manner is a testament to the possibilities in the Nigerian market, and the abiding custom of our consumers.”
While welcoming the development, he said the Council “again encourages Air Peace to renew and redouble its commitment to the best possible service and deference to consumers, noting that “therein only lies the key to unlocking further enduring growth.”
Irukera also noted that, “Nigerian consumers are as sophisticated, as they are loyal. They deserve the best attention and care in exchange for their patronage, and reward for their loyalty.
“The aviation industry remains one of the most vital catalysts for economic growth and shared prosperity. Reinforcing confidence in safety and institutionalising innovative products and respectful customer service are the fundamentals for industry expansion and perpetuation,” he said.
The DG further observed that fleet renewal is key to accomplishing these objec- tives, while also commending the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), for the dynamism that has resulted in this landmark development.
He said maintaining the Federal Aviation Administration’s Categoryone rating, the highest level of IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification for both regulatory processes and domestic airlines, are significant factors for safety, security, and consumer satisfaction, and urged the NCAA to continue in the stride.
Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, described the airlines’ feats in just three years of operations, as proof that Nigerian airlines can compete with and even outperform the legacy carriers, if there is a level-playing field and proper support.