“All required processes must be fully concluded before the commencement of flights. Aviation is not a cut-and-paste business, and the safety of passengers, crew and equipment remains a sine qua non”.
Air Peace has strongly refuted an allegation by SaharaReporters that the airline, in collaboration with the federal government, deceived Nigerians over the proposed Lagos–São Paulo direct flight, describing the report as malicious, misleading and built on unnamed, unverifiable sources.
In a detailed response issued by its management, the airline said the publication attempted to portray a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and Brazil as a commercial flight launch, a claim it described as “sensational, dishonest and deliberately crafted to mislead the public”.
SaharaReporters had alleged that the entire Lagos–São Paulo arrangement was deceptive from the outset and that Nigerians in Brazil were stranded. Air Peace rejected the narrative, insisting that no ticket was ever sold, no booking platform opened and no flight date announced.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. At no time did Air Peace or the federal government of Nigeria defraud Nigerians in Brazil or elsewhere regarding the Lagos–São Paulo route”, the airline said.
MoU Not a Flight Launch
Air Peace explained that an MoU is merely a statement of intent between governments to deepen bilateral cooperation and not a guarantee of immediate flight operations.
“An MoU is not a flight launch. It is neither a ticket sale nor a flight schedule. Several mandatory processes must be concluded after an MoU before any international flight can operate”, a statement from the airline read.
The airline stressed that claims of stranded passengers were illogical because no flight had been placed on sale and no departure date had been published.
“What exists here is self-imposed expectation, not deception”, it noted.
Regulatory Hurdles for Long-Haul Flights
According to the airline, international long-haul operations require multiple regulatory and operational approvals which cannot be rushed by publicity or political goodwill. These include:
*Implementation frameworks under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA)
*Approval from Brazil’s civil aviation authority, ANAC
*Slot allocations at São Paulo airports
Safety, insurance and ETOPS certifications
Aircraft deployment planning and route-economics analysis.
Air Peace said no responsible airline would announce ticket sales or commence operations until all these conditions are satisfied.
Fleet Capacity Explained
On questions about aircraft availability, the airline said it has the capacity to operate the route, noting that its fleet includes four Boeing 777-200/300 wide-body aircraft.
Two are currently deployed on London Heathrow and London Gatwick services, while the remaining two are on standby for other long-haul destinations, including São Paulo, once regulatory and commercial processes are completed.
No Fixed Take-Off Date Promised
Air Peace clarified that it never made any binding commercial commitment to a specific commencement date for the Brazil route.
“Statements of intention or optimism must not be misrepresented as guarantees. Airlines routinely prepare international routes for extended periods before launch”, said the statement, adding that its London operations took about seven years from conception to execution.
Airfares Not Determined by MoU
The airline also dismissed claims linking the MoU to lower international ticket prices.
“Blaming Air Peace for the high cost of connecting international flights is baseless. Air Peace does not control foreign airlines or global pricing structures. The existence of an MoU does not automatically reduce international airfares”, it stated.
Allegation of Blackmail and Smear Campaign
Air Peace accused SaharaReporters of engaging in what it described as a deliberate act of blackmail against both the airline and the federal government, allegedly sponsored by vested interests.
For clarity, the airline stated that it remains the only airline in Nigeria and the West African sub-region with the capacity to undertake transoceanic flight operations using its own wide-body fleet, a position it said explains the sustained smear campaign targeted at it.
Processes Began Last Year
The management disclosed that work on the Lagos–São Paulo route began as far back as last year, with engagements involving Nigerian regulators, the Brazilian government and stakeholders in Brazil.
“All required processes must be fully concluded before the commencement of flights. Aviation is not a cut-and-paste business, and the safety of passengers, crew and equipment remains a sine qua non”, it added.
Warning Against Undermining Nigerian Businesses
Air Peace condemned attempts to undermine Nigerian companies through misinformation and media manipulation for competitive advantage.
It accused SaharaReporters of following a troubling pattern by:
Turning diplomacy into alleged fraud
Rebranding patience and due process as stranding
Substituting verifiable facts with anonymous emotion
Ignoring aviation realities to manufacture outrage.
“This approach is not journalism; it is agitational storytelling”, the airline said.
‘No Flight Was Sold, No Scam Occurred’
In summary, Air Peace emphasised:
No flight was sold
No Nigerian was abandoned
No scam occurred
An MoU is not a boarding pass.
The airline reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and professionalism, assuring Nigerians that once all regulatory and commercial conditions are met, the Lagos–São Paulo route will be formally announced, just as with every other destination it operates.
“Until then, Nigerians deserve facts, not fear-mongering headlines”.