Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State has commended Air Peace for being the first airline to commence international operations from Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerrri, Imo State.

The governor made the commendation on Tuesday in Awka through a statement signed by Mr C-Don Adinuba, the state Commissioner for Information and Enlightenment.

Obiano’s goodwill message was delivered to the carrier which will start intercontinental operations on Wednesday, July 3, with a direct flight to Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

“The patriotic streak is reflected in all Air Peace has been doing from inception in 2014 including charging less than N200,000 for an economy seat and a mere N650,000 for the business class to fly for almost eight hours to the United Arab Emirate.“

The governor said that the airline was operating flights from Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Kano International Airport and Port Harcourt International Airport as well as Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Obiano said that no foreign airline had this record of service to the Nigerian people nor has any indigenous carrier.

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According to him, what many Nigerians may not know is that commercial interest or profit making is not one of the factors which led Mr Allen Onyema, a worthy indigene of Anambra State, to register Air Peace in 2013, but sheer patriotism.

He also praised the airline for its effort in tackling youth unemployment in Nigeria.

“It is a thing of pride that Air Peace now has over 3,000 Nigerians on its staff and about 8,000 others employed indirectly by it, even though it started operations only five years ago,” he said.

Air Peace operates about 100 flights daily with 27 aircraft.

It made history in Sept. 14 when it signed an agreement with Boeing in the Lagos residence of the U.S. consular general to purchase 10 brand new planes from the world’s largest plane manufacturer.

Air Peace will later this year start to fly to the UK, U.S., India, China and South Africa.

(NAN)