Nigerian carrier, Air Peace started Lagos to Dubai on March 1st, followed by Qatar Airways to Kano on March 2nd and Port Harcourt on March 3rd. The new routes mean the Qatar flag carrier now serves four airports across the country, joining long-standing Lagos and Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
Qatar Airways to Kano and Port Harcourt
Qatar Airways has started new routes to Africa, with Doha-Kano (4x weekly) and Doha to Port Harcourt (3x weekly) taking off. As they operate via Abuja, the Nigerian capital has risen to 1x daily non-stop.
Qatar Airways began Abuja in December 2020 and operated 4x weekly via Lagos for a year. The one-stop was ditched the following December, but it continued at 4x weekly – until now.
Doha-Kano operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and Doha-Port Harcourt on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. They utilize 254-seat B787-8s, Qatar Airways’ primary aircraft to Africa, with 22 seats in business and 232 in the economy.
A long time on the ground
Qatar Airways‘ schedule is as follows, with all times local. Notice the long time on the ground in Kano/Port Harcourt, explicitly designed for connections over Doha.
It’s similar to other airlines, including Iceland’s PLAY and its forthcoming Orlando route. If Qatar Airways didn’t add Kano/Port Harcourt, the aircraft would have remained on the ground all day in Abuja instead, so the new cities have been added in a fairly low-risk way.
- QR1431, Doha-Abuja: 02:50-08:25; Abuja-Kano: 10:25-11:25
- QR1432, Kano-Abuja: 17:05-18:05; Kano-Doha: 20:05-04:15+1
- QR1433, Doha-Abuja; 02:50-08:25; Abuja-Port Harcourt: 10:25-11:25
- QR1434, Port Harcourt-Abuja; 16:55-18:05; Abuja-Doha: 20:05-04:15+1
Port Harcourt is now linked to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia via Doha. Photo: via Qatar Airways.
It started right after Air Peace to Dubai
Air Peace began Lagos to Dubai on March 1st, with the attraction of Dubai evident. The point-to-point market is large (over 300,000 passengers in 2019), but crucially it is fairly low-yielding. Nigerian carriers have normally done poorly long-haul, and it’s likely that Air Peace will suffer the same fate.
That’s not the end of the story. According to Air Peace’s website, Dubai is not bookable until April, with the next departure on April 8th. It is the latest in the long saga surrounding the carrier’s service to the United Arab Emirates. Sharjah was previously served, while slots at Dubai were finally granted in late 2021.
It’s not this clear
While it’s easy to say the cuts won’t help confidence or bookings, especially against Emirates and its 1x daily operation, it’s part of a bigger picture. Emirates had intended to return its Lagos route to 2x daily from May, but the current situation means it has postponed it until July.
Assuming no further changes, Air Peace’s Lagos-Dubai will run 3x weekly from April, with outbound flights on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays and inbound the next day. The schedule is as follows and will use ex-Emirates B777-300s:
- P47557, Lagos to Dubai: 18:40-05:40+1
- P47558, Dubai to Lagos: 08:50-13:50
