The management of Air Peace has rejected what it described as a “malicious and misleading” report by an online platform, which alleged that the airline, in collaboration with the Tinubu administration, misled the public over the proposed Lagos–São Paulo direct flight. In a statement issued on Friday, the airline said the report was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of Air Peace and the Nigerian government, noting that it relied on unnamed and unverifiable sources who claimed that “the entire arrangement was deceptive from the outset.” Air Peace said it was necessary to clarify the issues and refute what it called false and sensational claims.
The airline stressed that the allegation of a “scam” was untrue and dishonest, insisting that neither Air Peace nor the Federal Government of Nigeria defrauded Nigerians in Brazil or elsewhere in relation to the Lagos–São Paulo route. It explained that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) does not amount to the launch of a flight, but rather represents an intention by governments to strengthen bilateral cooperation. According to the airline, an MoU is not a ticket sale, a flight schedule, or a guarantee that operations will begin immediately.
Air Peace further stated that no Nigerian passenger was stranded, as no tickets were sold, no booking platform was opened, and no flight date was announced. It added that claims of passengers being stranded were based on personal expectations rather than any act of deception by the airline.
The airline noted that operating international long-haul routes involves several regulatory and operational requirements that cannot be rushed through announcements or political support. These include the implementation of Bilateral Air Services Agreement frameworks, approvals from Brazil’s civil aviation authority, slot allocations at São Paulo airports, safety and insurance clearances, ETOPS certification, aircraft deployment planning and route viability assessments. Addressing concerns about capacity, Air Peace said it possesses the necessary aircraft and equipment to operate the Lagos–São Paulo route once all required approvals are in place.
Source: https://businessday.ng/
