Air Peace becomes first Nigerian carrier to start nonstop Israel flights -Israel Minister
Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev on Sunday approved an aviation deal with Nigeria that will allow non-stop flights between the countries to begin next month for the first time, the ministry said.
The agreement, which still needs cabinet approval in Israel, will let carriers from the two countries to operate flights between Tel Aviv and cities in Nigeria, like Lagos and Abuja.
It will facilitate a smoother pilgrimage for Christians to the Holy Land, the ministry said. The trip currently requires a stopover, usually in Turkey or Ethiopia.
Nigeria’s Air Peace will be the first airline to fly directly, operating twice weekly flights beginning April 20, the ministry said.
Regev said that Nigeria “maintains close ties with Israel in a wide variety of fields, alongside heavy traffic of pilgrims coming to Israel to visit the holy places in Christianity.”
Launching direct flights, she said, “will contribute to strengthening of the business and cultural ties between the nations and between the governments.”
“Nigeria’s flag carrier Air Peace will begin operating direct flights to Israel for the first time, starting on April 20, the Minister of Transportation and Road Safety announced today (Sunday). Minister Regev today (Sunday) approved the aviation agreement signed between Israel and Nigeria, and submitted it for government approval.
“The signed agreement will for the first time allow the airlines of each of the countries to operate regular flights at Ben Gurion Airport to several destinations in Nigeria, such as Abuja and Lagos. In the first phase, the Nigerian company (airline) will operate two weekly flights between Israel and Nigeria.
“So far, no direct flights have been operated between the two countries and the thousands of pilgrims who come to Israel every year from Nigeria have flown through Turkey or Ethiopia. The agreement will allow Israeli and Nigerian airlines to make direct flights between the countries and increase the number of pilgrims who come to Israel every year,”
