The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Air Peace

  • Air Peace: Concerns for staff welfare, our winning streak

    Air Peace: Concerns for staff welfare, our winning streak

    The management of the Air Peace Airlines has declared that its insistence on better welfare packages for staff and religious observance of routine checks as well as maintenance of aircraft in its fleet form the cardinal points of its operational style.

    In a statement at the weekend, the airline explained that the success and client loyalty it recorded within a short period of its existence were traceable to those cardinal objectives.

    The airline noted that immediately its chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, was granted the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) in September last year, he set out the major driving principles that have been guiding Air Peace.

    Dismissing allegations in some quarters that it was poaching the pilots of other airlines, the airline said that if any pilot is poached, it makes a statement about the degree of job satisfaction and welfare he enjoys.

    It stressed it is a normal practice for staff to apply for employment in firms where job security, welfare and capacity enhancement are assured.

    The airline said: “In the coming year, Air Peace hopes to scale up its operational schemes in line with international best practices.”

     

  • Air Peace acquires two aircraft

    TO expand its operations, new entrant in the domestic scene: Air Peace has acquired two  Boeing 737-300 aircraft.

    The new acquisition brings to six its Boeing aircraft.

    Speaking while taking delivery of the aircraft at the Lagos Airport, chairman of the airline, Mr Allen Onyema, said the carrier was responding to the yearnings of passengers to serve them on many routes.

    Onyema said as an airline conscious of meeting customers’ needs, its management team have begun route development and consolidation team that would be unveiled in the coming days.

    Air Peace, he said, would boost its flight operations and be able to meet passengers‘on time requests for services on many routes.

  • How to reduce aviation fuel price, by Air Peace chairman

    The chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema has called on the federal government to waive customs import duty on petroleum products, saying it is one of the ways of reducing the landing costs of the product.

    Such intervention, he said, is the only form of subsidy that should be given to fuel marketers in order to reduce the price of aviation fuel which currently oscillates between N190 to N200 per litre.

    Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Onyema said at the current price of aviation fuel, many airlines are struggling to keep their operations afloat, as the attendant increase in the price of aviation fuel, occasioned by scarcity, is having huge impact on airline operations.

    He said the airlines are hugely impacted by the scarcity of the aviation fuel, which has brought about corresponding increase in the cost of running the business.

    The airlines boss said government should work out a solution to the incessant strike by fuel marketers, which he said, was a ploy to frustrate government.

    He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue of subsidy, which he described as fraudulent and unacceptable.

    He said the instability created in the fuel supply chain by the fuel marketers should be urgently addressed by fixing the refineries to make the product available.

    Buhari should not succumb and allow this kind of business to stand .he should reject the blackmail from fuel marketers and the entire country will stand by him.

    “Government should put measures in place to fix the refineries. The claim of marketers on the landing costs of fuel is bogus. From available information, the landing cost of a litre of fuel is not up to N50.”

  • Air Peace crashes air fare to military personnel

    As part of efforts to  assist the Federal Government in reaching out to the Nigeria Armed Forces, Air Peace is offering N10,000 fare to both retired and serving military personnel on all flights.

    In line with the practice in the United States, the reduced fare offer according to the chairman of the airline, Mr Allen Onyema is part of his contributions  to support the military in carrying out its statutory responsibility in the face of current security challenges.

    He said the military over the years has made huge sacrifice to maintain peace and order in the country, which could only be appreciated with the lower fare offer.

    He said the airline is committed to supporting the Armed Forces  and other institutions that are committed to the harmonious coexistence of the country.

    Onyema said no business could grow if the country is not enjoying an atmosphere of peace and stability, hence the need to support the military and other institutions in carrying out their statutory responsibility.

    He stated that Air Peace has come to change the face of airline operations in the industry with the arrival of seven airplanes, adding this is the first time a new entrant into the business will commence operations with such large number of aircraft.

    Onyema listed the aircraft in its fleet to include three Dornier 328 jets and four Boeing 737-500.

    The CEO also disclosed that the airline intends to expand its network to Asaba, Kano, Yola, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Ibadan Bauchi, Gombe and Katsina.

    Other areas which the expansion will cover are Makurdi, Minna, Zaria, Akwa Ibom, Ilorin, Akure, Benin, Calabar, Warri and Jos.

  • Air Peace to partner banks, others as retreat begins

    As part of strategies to promote safety culture among its  200 personnel new entrant Air Peace has announced plans to partner commercial banks , hotels, retail outlets , travel agencies and other businesses as it begins a three-day retreat to prepare for its inaugural flight this month.

    The partnership with many financial institutions and other players is to drive home the vision of the carrier for enhanced collaboration, its chairman, Mr Allen  Onyema said .

    The retreat, according to  Onyema will provide a platform for the workers to plan ahead on how to run an airline that is expected to change the face of air travel, even as it wil have zero tolerance for accident and cutting of corners.

    Onyema  said the retreat beginning today at the Eko Tourist Resort will provide opportunity to inculcate in the airline personnel the need to pursue safety both on  ground and in the sky.

    He said the event will also provide a platform for both technical and non technical workers of the airline to plan how to use technology and other offline platform to leverage the carrier, which is expected to run like  South West Airline of the United States of America (U.S.A.).

    Onyema said with five aircraft already on ground, Air Peace is expected to take delivery of the sixth aircraft preparatory to inaugural flight.

    He said the retreat will also provide an opportunity to educate the personnel of the airline on the need to imbibe zero tolerance for accident .

    He said:”Air Peace will begin its three-day retreat for staff ahead of planned operations which would be announced this month.

    “The retreat is for our over 200 personnel including technical and non technical staff.

    “It is important for us to drive home the point that the staff must understand the vision of this airline.

    “Though this would be at huge costs, it will help to start on a good note with everybody understanding the vision of the airline .

    “It is to herald the start of operations very soon. Our strategy is on time departure .

    “We can assure that everything is on ground for our inaugural flight .

    “We will educate our staff on how to make the difference as an airline by pursuing customer service .

    “We will ensure we educate our staff on the need not to cut corners  and have respect for all passengers’’.

     

    “We shall also pursue how to use