… Says No Ticket Was Sold
…MoU Not Flight Launch Or Schedule
…Restates Commitment To Transparency, Professionalism.
The Management of Air Peace has denied allegation that it connived with the Federal Government to deceive the flying public over the proposed Lagos–São Paulo direct flight.
A statement signed by the management of the airline described report as malicious and misleading .
The airline said that the report, which bears all the hallmarks of a deliberate attempt to malign Air Peace and the Nigerian government, relies on unnamed and unverifiable sources who claim that “the entire arrangement was deceptive from the outset, adding that ” Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Management of Air Peace said that to set the record straight and debunk the falsehoods contained in the report, it hereby states as follows:
1. The allegation of a ‘scam’ is false, sensational, and dishonest. At no time did Air Peace or the Federal Government of Nigeria defraud Nigerians in Brazil or elsewhere regarding the Lagos–São Paulo route.
2. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is not a flight launch. An MoU is a statement of intent between governments to deepen bilateral cooperation. It is neither a ticket sale nor a flight schedule, and it does not constitute a guarantee of immediate commencement of operations. In aviation practice, several mandatory processes must be concluded after an MoU before any flight can operate.
3. No Nigerian was ‘stranded’ by Air Peace. No tickets were sold, no booking platform was opened, and no flight date was announced. It is therefore illogical to claim that passengers were stranded by a flight that was never placed on sale. What exists here is self-imposed expectation, not deception.
4. International long-haul operations require multiple regulatory and operational approvals that cannot be fast-tracked by publicity or political goodwill. These include, but are not limited to:
• Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) implementation frameworks
• Approval from Brazil’s civil aviation authority (ANAC)
• Slot allocations at São Paulo airports
• Safety, insurance, and ETOPS certifications
• Aircraft deployment planning and route economicsOn the issue of capacity, the management statef that Air Peace has the requisite equipment to operate the route.
The airline, the management said currently has four Boeing 777-200/300 aircraft in its fleet, adding that two are deployed on the London Heathrow and London Gatwick routes, while the remaining two are on standby for deployment to other long-haul destinations, including São Paulo, upon completion of all regulatory and commercial processes.
The Management pointed out that until these requirements are fully met, no responsible airline would announce ticket sales or commence operations.
Air Peace, said it never made a binding commercial commitment to a fixed commencement date. Statements of intention or optimism must not be misrepresented as guarantees, adding that airlines routinely study and prepare international routes for extended periods before launch.
To buttress its point, the management gave example of the Air Peace’s London operations which according to the airline took approximately seven years from conception to execution.
The airline’s management statef that blaming Air Peace for the high cost of connecting international flights is baseless, stressing that Air Peace does not control foreign airlines or global pricing structures.
The existence of an MoU, the airline said does not, and cannot, automatically reduce international airfares.
. Air Peace, said that it considers this report a deliberate act of blackmail against the airline and the Federal Government of Nigeria, sponsored by vested interests within Nigeria.
“For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of the public, as of today, Air Peace remains the only airline in Nigeria and the West African sub-region with the capacity to undertake transoceanic flight operations using its own wide-body fleet. This reality explains the sustained smear campaign targeted at the airline and, by extension, the Nigerian government.”
The Management said that It is important to state that Air Peace commenced the processes toward the Lagos–São Paulo route as far back as last year and that the airline has been engaging relevant Nigerian authorities, cooperating with the Brazilian government, and working with stakeholders in Brazil to bring the operation to fruition.
It noted that all the required processes must be fully concluded before the commencement of flights.
” Aviation is not a cut-and-paste business, and the safety of passengers, crew, and equipment remains a sine qua non,” the management said.
” It is unacceptable for individuals or groups to attempt to undermine a Nigerian business through falsehoods and media manipulation in the hope of gaining a competitive advantage—one that will never materialise,” the management added.
The airline’s stated that the report follows a familiar and troubling pattern:
• Turning diplomacy into alleged “fraud”
• Rebranding patience and due process as “stranding”
• Substituting verifiable facts with anonymous emotion.
• Ignoring aviation realities to manufacture outrage
This approach, the management said is not journalism; but agitational storytelling.
Summarising the facts, Air Peace management said, that at no point was flight was sold, no Nigerian was abandoned, no scam occurred and that an MoU is not a boarding pass.
Air Peace, the management restated remains committed to transparency and professionalism.
It emphasised that when all the regulatory and commercial conditions are satisfied, the Lagos–São Paulo route will be announced formally, as has been done with every other destination operated by the airline.
It added that until then, Nigerians deserve facts, not fear-mongering headlines.
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