By Chinelo Obogo
Air Peace has become the first African airline to take delivery of a brand new E195-E2 at the Embraer facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
It includes 13 firm orders and 17 purchase right orders, coming second to Lufthansa, which ordered 35.
The E195-E2 tagged Profit Hunter aircraft will help Air Peace achieve its ambition of connecting not just all of Nigeria, but the entire African continent, while feeding long-haul flights from its Lagos hub, the airline said.
The Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, alongside other dignitaries were on hand to receive the aircraft which landed at 2pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from Recife airport, Brazil, called on the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, to establish a Maintenance, Overhaul and Repair (MRO) facility in Nigeria.
Onyema thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for making the delivery of the plane possible, especially as the airline would no more need to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) and Customs duties. He also thanked the National Assembly Committees on Aviation for facilitating the passage of the waiver to airlines, adding that the 13 aircraft would create 8000 jobs for Nigerians.
He thanked the Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, for his support for domestic airlines, saying that it was in response to his challenge to airlines to acquire new planes that spurred Air Peace to order the new aircraft.
President, Commercial Business Aviation for Embraer, Mr. Arjan Meija, said: “Air Peace is also the first airline to configure a premium cabin with our staggered seat option. The new 124-seat E2s complement the airline’s eight 50-seat E145s flying with Air Peace Hopper. The Embraer fleet will create greater regional and domestic connectivity from the carrier’s Lagos hub. Apart from the 13 195-E2s on firm order, Air Peace has purchased rights for 17 more of the aircraft according to Embraer.”
In his speech, the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ricardo Guerra de Araujo, commended Air Peace, describing the feat as remarkable for Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the airline would consider direct flight between Nigeria and Brazil. In his comments, Sirika, said the use of newer airplanes by domestic carriers will change the dynamics in airlines’ profitability and sustainability; by driving down maintenance and fueling cost. He commended the airline’s expansion drive and restated the government’s support for aviation industry.
Speaking on behalf of the governors from; Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Delta and Benue, Governor Godwin Obaseki urged Air Peace to rethink how to create regional hubs for air transport in Nigeria. He said air transportation is the catalyst that would push economic integration of the states in Nigeria and West Africa sub-region calling on other operators in the industry to consider ways of achieving affordable fares for air travelers.