Air Peace Strikes Emirates Deal for One-ticket London Flights

Air Peace and Emirates have announced a bilateral interline agreement allowing passengers to book single-ticket travel from Nigerian and West and Central African cities to UAE, London, and other destinations.

The disclosure was made by both airlines on Monday, providing details of the routes and cities covered under the agreement.

The deal allows passengers to travel on both airlines under one booking, with coordinated schedules and through-checked baggage on select routes.

What they are saying 

Under the agreement, Emirates passengers can now connect beyond the 13 Nigerian cities already served on Air Peace’s network to Banjul in Gambia and Dakar in Senegal via Abidjan.

They can also travel to Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia via Accra, expanding coverage across West and Central Africa.

Conversely, Air Peace passengers can connect to Emirates’ hub in Dubai and onward to international destinations, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted.

“Building on their existing partnership, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and Air Peace, West Africa’s largest airline, have activated a bilateral interline agreement, expanding air connectivity between Africa, the UAE, and London. 

“The agreement offers passengers of both airlines frictionless, single-ticket travel with through-checked baggage, on select routes, resulting in greater travel comfort and convenience for customers. 

“Beyond the 13 cities in Nigeria already available for Emirates passengers on Air Peace’s network, the enhanced interline agreement now enables travellers to connect with Banjul in Gambia and Dakar in Senegal, both via Abidjan; and with Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia, both via Accra,” Emirates statement read in part.

How the interline agreement works 

The agreement allows passengers to book combined itineraries across both airlines under a single ticket, with baggage checked through to the final destination on select routes.

This removes the need for passengers to collect and recheck luggage when connecting between Air Peace and Emirates flights, while expanding access to a wider range of regional and international routes.

Tickets under the interline agreement can be booked via emirates.com, flyairpeace.com, or accredited travel agents, allowing passengers to plan journeys involving multiple cities and airlines under one booking.

Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, said the interline partnership expands the airline’s reach across Africa and supports Nigeria’s aviation, tourism, and trade sectors.

Air Peace’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nowel Ngala, said the agreement aligns with the airline’s goal of improving Africa’s access to global markets by linking its regional network with Emirates’ international routes, enabling passengers to reach more destinations under a single itinerary.

Flashback

The interline agreement Emirates just entered with Air Peace comes just over a year after the UAE-based airline resumed operations in Nigeria following a two-year suspension linked to trapped funds.

• Emirates had halted flights to Nigeria in October 2022, citing difficulties repatriating revenue amid foreign exchange shortages, despite assurances from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
• The airline announced plans to return after diplomatic engagements between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, including discussions during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the UAE in October 2023, which also led to the lifting of visa restrictions on Nigerians.

Emirates eventually resumed flights on October 1, 2024, when Flight EK783 landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, marking its first commercial operation to Nigeria since the suspension.

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What you should know

Air Peace’s interline agreement with Emirates comes nearly two years after the Nigerian airline launched its Lagos–London route on March 30, 2024, a move that disrupted pricing on one of Nigeria’s busiest international corridors.

• In April 2024, Air Peace expanded the route’s domestic feed, allowing passengers from Abuja, Asaba, Benin, Enugu, Owerri, Warri, and Port Harcourt to connect to London via Lagos.
• By December 2024, the airline extended the Lagos–London Gatwick service to passengers departing from Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri, further widening access from the South-East.

Under the Emirates interline deal, Emirates passengers can now access Air Peace’s Nigerian network via Lagos, including Abuja, Asaba, Akure, Benin City, Calabar, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Warri, and Uyo.