The Nigerian minister assured the UK Civil Aviation Authority of the government's confidence in the safety of the operations of all Nigerian flag carriers.
Nigeria's Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, has restated the government's support for Air Peace Airlines following revelations that the airline was accused of safety violations in the UK.
In a statement issued Wednesday and posted on his official X page, Mr Keyamo said his attention has been drawn to the issue and that he has been "reliably briefed" about the incident.
"My attention has been drawn to recent media publications citing some issues allegedly relating to possible safety violations at the Gatwick Airport by Air Peace Airlines raised by Safety inspectors of the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority," the minister said.
He said Air Peace Airlines is the Nigerian flag carrier designated on the London route and as such enjoys the full backing and support of the Nigerian government in its operation of that route.
Mr Keyamo also said he has been briefed that the alleged violations have been resolved.
"I am informed that the safety issues raised had since been adequately addressed by the Management of Air Peace and promptly closed to the satisfaction of the UK authorities," Mr Keyamo said.
Background
Mr Keyamo's reaction came after the UK Civil Aviation Authority reported Air Peace to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), over the airline's alleged non-compliance with some safety regulations in the UK.
Air Peace, a Nigerian indigenous airline, commenced flight operations from Lagos to Gatwick Airport in London on 30 March, less than two months ago. It eventually got approval from the Aviation Minister to include Abuja in its London route.
Air Peace's entry into the Lagos-London route is believed to have brought down the flight prices on that route by other airlines.
Before the commencement of Air Peace's London services, the price of an international flight ticket on the Lagos-London route was around N3 million but Air Peace pegged its return economy class ticket at N1.2 million.
Many other international airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have since reduced their prices.
On Wednesday, the minister reiterated that the federal government has full confidence in Air Peace and other Nigerian flag carriers.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Government of Nigeria has put its full weight and might behind all the local airlines designated on international routes in their endeavours in prosecuting these operations and shall provide all the necessary assistance and cooperation to ensure their success. Air Peace is no exception in this regard," the minister said.
Air Peace reacts
In a statement issued earlier by Air Peace management on the issue, the airline confirmed that it received a letter from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
"We can confirm that the UK Civil Aviation Authority wrote to Air Peace, after their statutory Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, to request clarification on our use of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and some other concerns," the statement said.
Based on that, the airline said it provided the necessary information, and the matter was resolved without any issues.
Additionally, Air Peace said, "It is, therefore, wrong to say we do not have approval for our EFB. Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs."
Violation claims
The Nigerian airline added, "Regarding the claim that our B777 aircraft lack iPad mounts and charging ports in the flight deck, this is incorrect. All B777 aircraft are equipped with charging ports in the cockpit, and we ensure that all our B777 aircraft have iPad mounts."
The Airline noted that another issue raised by the UK CAA was the location of the cockpit library on the B777.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In response, Air Peace explained that the B777 designates two locations for storing manuals and books--one behind the captain and the other under the jumpseat.
During the inspection, Air Peace said, the books were stored under the jumpseat, as it is commonly practised.
The airline said it understands the inspector's preference is for the books to be placed behind the captain and has ensured this preference is accommodated for all operations going forward.
Air Peace stated that there was also a concern about its captain's choice of runway exit after landing, noting that instead of exiting at the middle runway exit, its captain, out of his professional discretion, opted to exit at the end of the runway. This, it said, may have delayed the arrival of another aircraft.
"We acknowledge this deviation and have addressed the matter with the captain to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future," the airline said, adding that it assures passengers of its commitment to safety and full compliance.
