The United Kingdom aviation authorities have expressed their readiness to engage in discussions about slot allocation for Nigerian carrier Air Peace at Heathrow Airport, London’s premier tier-A airport.
In early September, Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, sent a diplomatic letter to the UK’s aviation authorities, formally requesting landing slots for Air Peace at Heathrow. This request comes as Nigeria seeks fairer access to international airspace for its flag carrier.
Responding to Keyamo’s letter, UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, indicated that her department is open to further discussions on the matter. Haigh mentioned that the issue would be addressed during the “upcoming International Civil Aviation Negotiations event in October 2024.”
The discussions are taking place amidst tensions following Nigeria’s threat to deny UK carriers access to landing slots at Lagos and Abuja airports, if Air Peace continues to be denied access to Heathrow.