Lagos-London Route: Falana Urges FG to Adopt Reciprocity in Addressing Denial of Air Peace by UK Authorities

Chinedu Eze

Erudite lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana has called on the federal government to adopt the principle of reciprocity and suspend flight operations into Nigeria by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways until such a time when Nigeria’s Air Peace is allowed to also operate the Lagos-London route in accordance with the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed by Nigeria and United Kingdom. 
Falana made this known in a speech he delivered at the just concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Abuja. 

Falana stated that BASA allows for reciprocity of flight operations on the route by designated airlines of both countries in line with the agreement signed by both countries and that it was out of place and unfair for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways to be allowed to continue flying into Nigeria without any Nigerian airline flying to London in return.

He observed that Air Peace has proven it has the capacity to operate on international routes, adding that the airline currently flies to China, Israel, India and South Africa among others using modern aircraft comparable to those of its foreign competitors.

Falana, therefore stated, “If Air Peace is not allowed to fly to London, then British Airways and Virgin Atlantic should be stopped from flying to Nigeria.”

Air Peace has a fleet of modern long-haul and regional aircraft that can match those of other foreign airline operating into Nigeria.