Originally Posted by
DC3 Dave
LGW needs to give Air Peace a chance. 🥸
Does anyone definitively know whether Air Peace has actually ever really applied for slots at any London area airport and whether any slots have actually ever really been allocated to this airline? When I recently checked the ACL slot allocation report, I couldn't come across any evidence to this effect. I also find the current arrangement between Air Peace and Flynorse UK rather odd, i.e., Norse
operating four weekly services for Air Peace on week days under an ACMI arrangement, with Air Peace operating with its own metal on week-ends only. I assume the Gatwick slots Air Peace use are actually part of Norse's Gatwick slot allocation for this summer season for which they haven't got any use themselves, and instead of forfeiting them to a competitor, they temporarily arranged to operate them on behalf of Air Peace. Can someone perhaps shed some more light on this?
Regarding the Air Peace CEO's allegations against Gatwick, I feel these are baseless. Why would Gatwick, who welcome new long-haul airlines and routes with open arms seek to intentionally undermine a new long-haul airline re-establishing a long-lost, much-coveted long-haul route, and in the process tarnish its growing reputation as a viable alternative to Heathrow with much higher profile long-haul airlines, none of whom b.t.w. seem to support these allegations?
Other allegations the Air Peace CEO has reportedly made against Gatwick incl. Gatwick allegedly intentionally delaying publicly acknowledging Air Peace's inaugural service to their airport, as well as allegedly denying Air Peace the customary water cannon salute for its inaugural flight.
I think the Air Peace CEO is playing to the gallery here, indulging in dirty politics which appeal to certain sections of the Nigerian public (and the public in many developing countries more generally), who seek to attribute everything that's wrong with the administration of their country to the former colonial power despite decades of independence which afforded plenty of opportunities to right former colonial wrongs.