By Ediri Ejoh

in a bid to strengthen the economic and cultural ties across Africa,  Air Peace yesterday, began direct flights from Lagos to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

This came as the airline is billed to connect Cotonou region by next week. 

Abidjan joining its route network makes it nine regional routes by the airline in less than nine years since its inception.

The Charge the Affairs,  Republique Federale Du Nigeria Ambassade du Nigeria Energy Cote d’Ivoire, Itam Akpama, lauded the company’s feats, and pledged support in ensuring a profitable and conducive business environment to operate.

However, in his address at the ceremony marking the inaugural flight into Abidjan, Air Peace’s Director of Flight Operations, Augustin Kamano, reinstated the company’s mission geared towards easing air travel and bridging the connectivity gap among West African countries and beyond.

In his words: “Today, we are expanding our connectivity across West Africa with the launch of direct flights into Abidjan, Ivory Coast. This is our ninth regional destination, and we’re happy to be connecting Nigeria and Ivory Coast as well as Ivory Coast and Senegal as passengers can also fly from here to Dakar. We’re bridging the connectivity gap among West African countries and the goal is to reduce the air travel burden for Africans.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Ivory Coast and the launch of flights by Air Peace into Abidjan today will deepen commercial cooperation as well as solidify bilateral ties between both countries.

“Since we commenced operations in 2014, we have been on an aggressive but strategic route expansion mission, becoming famed for our no-city-left-behind initiative which goes beyond the West Coast to include international destinations. The airline is committed to providing increased connectivity across key cities in the West African sub-region and promoting economic prosperity for Africans. We want to make air travel easier for the collective development of all West African countries. This is why we shall be launching, very soon, flight operations into Cotonou in Benin Republic, Congo Kinshasa and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

“We will continue to offer matchless flight services, with signature hospitality, first-grade customer service and inflexible adherence to established safety standards. Air Peace is also implementing a fleet modernisation programme. Recently, we signed a firm order for the delivery of 5 brand new Embraer 175 aircraft which will start coming in later this year. This is geared at continually giving our customers an unequalled experience on board.

“Air Peace leads Nigeria’s aviation industry with a current network of 21 domestic routes, 9 regional and 6 international destinations, including China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Africa, India and UAE, with an increasing modern fleet of over 30 aircraft. Also planned for launch very soon is London, marking our entry into the European continent.

“Finally, we must thank the Ivorian authorities, our partners here, and the Nigerian Government for making this possible, as we promise to work harmoniously with all the relevant aviation stakeholders to ensure this new route is maximised for both countries.”