Air Peace has strongly refuted the claims made by former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika during his interview with Arise TV on Sunday, June 11, 2023 in an official statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Toyin Olajide.
In his interview, Sirika attempted to denigrate Air Peace while praising Ethiopian Airlines. He alleged that Air Peace leased two Boeing 777 aircraft, parked them for several months incurring losses of $19 million, and claimed that all the aircraft engines and landing gears became due for replacement when the airline was ready to fly. Furthermore, Sirika also asserted that Air Peace halted its Dubai operations due to a lack of capacity.
Contrary to Sirika’s statement, Air Peace clarifies that the airline owns three Boeing 777 aircraft, which were purchased outright and not leased or rented. The airline has never incurred such a substantial loss, nor has it paid any rentals as falsely claimed.
The airline also noted that it commenced operations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in July 2019. However, in October 2022, the UAE government imposed a total visa ban on Nigerians, impacting both Emirates and Air Peace. Due to the non-issuance of visas and the associated inconveniences caused by the ban, Air Peace was compelled to suspend its Dubai operations from November 22, 2022, until the present.
Air Peace highlighted its substantial capacity by pointing out its firm order for 13 brand new E2-195 aircraft, as well as 15 Boeing 737 Max 8 & Max 10 aircraft.
Air Peace implores the general public to dismiss these unfounded allegations made by the former Minister of Aviation during the Arise TV interview. The airline also expressed serious concern over the misrepresentation of its brand in the public sphere, which can lead to misconceptions and false perceptions.
