Air Peace faced Heathrow Airport slot denial due to late submissions, prompting the UK to outline alternative options
In response to the Nigerian government’s inquiry, the United Kingdom recently explained why Air Peace faced Heathrow slot denial for both the Summer 2024 and Winter 2024/2025 seasons. According to UK authorities, including Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh, Air Peace submitted its slot requests too late, which led to the airline being denied slots at Heathrow Airport.
The denial of Heathrow slots for Air Peace was primarily due to the late submissions, as confirmed by Haigh in her letter dated September 5, 2024, addressed to Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. She stated that the coordination process for Heathrow slots had already concluded when Air Peace made its requests. This ultimately led to the airline being placed on the waitlist for Heathrow access.
In the letter, UK officials provided clarity on the alternatives available to Air Peace following its Heathrow slot denial. Among the options were joining the waitlist, acquiring slots through commercial deals with other carriers, or operating from a different airport, such as Gatwick. Gatwick, though not Heathrow, offers significant connectivity across Europe, Asia, and North America, and is serviced by a mainline rail link to central London.
Despite the Heathrow slot denial, the UK aviation authority recommended that Air Peace continue working closely with Airports Coordination Limited (ACL), which manages the process for slot allocation. They emphasized that Heathrow operates under severe runway and air traffic movement limits, contributing to the slot shortage. In Summer 2024 alone, demand for slots far exceeded availability, with over 29,000 slot requests going unfulfilled.
While Air Peace was denied access to Heathrow slots due to late requests, UK authorities highlighted that other Nigerian and international carriers have successfully navigated similar challenges. The options presented provide a pathway forward for Air Peace to establish operations in the competitive London aviation market, despite the initial setback at Heathrow.
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