Nigeria Considers Retaliatory Measures Over Heathrow Access Dispute

Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, has issued a warning that the country may take retaliatory actions against British Airways if Nigerian carriers, particularly Air Peace, are denied traffic rights to London Heathrow. This statement was made during the annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents in Lagos on July 26, as reported by the New Telegraph newspaper.

The contention arises from the UK’s refusal to grant Air Peace landing slots at Heathrow, despite the existing bilateral air services agreement which, according to Nigeria, should facilitate equal access to comparable airports. Minister Keyamo expressed frustration over the current slot allocation process, suggesting that if the situation does not change, British Airways may be redirected from Lagos to less prominent Nigerian airports such as Ilorin or Kano as a form of reciprocity.

“We have already written to the United Kingdom to give Nigerian carriers, especially Air Peace, Heathrow Airport, which is a tier one airport, just as we have British Airways, using our Lagos airport,” Keyamo remarked. He highlighted the imbalance, noting, “When we asked for Heathrow Airport, you’re telling us to go to a slot committee. Who does that? Air Peace, I can tell you, is on its way to Heathrow away from Gatwick.”

Currently, Air Peace operates flights between Lagos and London Gatwick, having launched this route on March 31 due to the unavailability of slots at Heathrow. The airline’s CEO, Allen Onyema, has argued that under the bilateral air service agreement, Nigerian airlines should have access to primary airports in the UK, similar to how British carriers operate at major Nigerian airports like Abuja and Lagos. According to ch-aviation schedules, Air Peace initially served Gatwick six times weekly with a Boeing 777, with plans to reduce this frequency to four times weekly starting July 30.

Minister Keyamo also touched on broader issues affecting Nigerian airlines, attributing high failure rates among local carriers to restrictive international agreements that limit their operational networks. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting local airlines and ensuring they have the capacity to reciprocate international agreements effectively.

This ongoing dispute highlights the challenges of international aviation negotiations and the importance of equitable access to major global hubs, which are critical for the expansion and competitiveness of airlines on the international stage.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com