International air travellers to China and other stakeholders have heaved a sigh of relief following Air Peace airline’s direct flight operations on the Lagos-Guangzhou route.

The airline, which operated the second flight on Wednesday, has brought seamless connectivity between the two popular economic hubs.

The passengers, shortly before departure from Lagos, expressed delight that a Nigerian airline could now operate a scheduled flight to China, a development that has taken off the transit and layover burdens.

A Chinese national, Clark Wang, noted that the Chinese community was excited by the launch, adding that it signalled a great stride in strengthening the commercial ties between Nigeria and China.

Wang said the flight connectivity between both nations would foster development and boost both economies. Wang also applauded Air Peace Management for the strategic decision to make a foray into the route.

Another passenger, Emmanuel Okereke, expressed happiness over the China destination launch and felicitated with Air Peace. He implored the airline to sustain the feat and be consistent in providing best-in-class services. He urged the Chairman of Air Peace to ensure sustenance of this new route and extend wings to more cities.

Similarly, Timothy Ose, another passenger on board the service, said he flies Air Peace to Dubai and when he learnt of the new China route, he was delighted.

He said the expansion into Asia is a huge respite to Nigerians, especially those who frequent the Chinese destination. While congratulating Onyema, Ose also urged Air Peace to keep raising the bar and blazing the trail.

In a similar vein, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, applauded the management on the commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and China.

Nnaji said the direct flight services would bring the African and Asian continents even closer.

He commended Air Peace for the courage to begin the long-haul flight at a time the global industry is struggling to overcome the enormous negative impact of COVID-19 on the aviation sector.

Air Peace launched its China destination, which is its third international route, on July 13, 2022, with a record-breaking high load factor of 240 passengers. The airline disclosed that it had India and Israel in the works and reiterated its commitment to continually ease the burden of air travel for Nigerians and, by extension, Africans.

According to its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, “we will continue to grow our route network as well as modernise our fleet strategically”.

Air Peace currently boasts a network of 20 domestic routes, seven regional routes and three international destinations, including Dubai and Johannesburg.