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Every journey begins with an expectation. Sometimes it is shaped by previous experiences, and at other times by stories told by others. My first trip on Air Peace, from Lagos to London, turned out to be one of those journeys that challenged my assumptions.
As I reminisced about my experience flying the airline for the first time sometime ago, I thought about the biblical account of the cupbearer and the baker in the saga of Joseph in Egypt and felt low that I had not documented this journey before now. Today, I feel obligated to do this write-up.
Two years ago, while planning a work trip to the United Kingdom, I booked an Air Peace ticket through Wakanow, a travel agency in Surulere. Price was the deciding factor. Although I had previously flown other airlines on the route, Air Peace offered a fare that suited my budget.
The only thing that gave me pause was the destination. For more than a decade, my flights to the UK had always ended at Heathrow. This time, my ticket was to Gatwick Airport.
Before long, another doubt crept in. When I mentioned my travel plans to a friend, the response was immediate: “Why Air Peace? I’ve heard they lose people’s luggage.”
The comment lingered in my mind. I even considered changing my booking, but the cost and conditions attached to doing so made little sense. So, I decided to keep my ticket and see the experience for myself.
The journey had a professional purpose. I was travelling to cover Africa Fashion Week London in August and later the World Travel Market in November, assignments that would keep me moving across the city for several weeks.
A surprisingly quiet take-off
On departure night, I boarded the Boeing 777 and settled into the middle seat. Beside me sat a young woman, while on my other side was an elderly woman who appeared to be travelling abroad for the first time.
Barely 15 minutes after take-off, she gently tapped my shoulder.
“When is the plane going to move?” she asked.
I smiled and said, “Ha, ma, we have been in the air for some time now.”
“Do you mean this plane is moving?” she queried with obvious amazement.
Her expression of disbelief said everything. The take-off had been so smooth that she simply hadn’t realised we had left the ground.
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It became one of those little travel moments that remain memorable long after a flight ends.
Throughout the journey, the cabin crew were courteous and attentive. Meals arrived on schedule, and somewhere over the Atlantic, I found myself enjoying smoky party jollof rice—hardly something I had expected to eat on an international flight.
Landing at Gatwick was equally uneventful—in the best possible sense. The aircraft touched down smoothly, prompting spontaneous applause from many passengers.
Conversations above the clouds
Curiosity got the better of me after landing. As a reporter, I rarely resist the opportunity to ask questions.
With that experience, I reached out to the pilot, Captain Tochukwu Ejezie. I am a proud reporter and not shy about doing my interviews wherever I find newsworthy clues. Ejezie, who has been flying for over 11 years, started all the way from Airbus and became a captain on the 777.
Talking about the journey, he said: “We flew from Lagos to London, the south side of London, which is Gatwick. That is where we fly currently. We will soon start Abuja-to-Gatwick Airport. (Air Peace commenced its Abuja-London flight last year).”
The number of passengers on board was 313, with nine cabin crew members, as well as the flight deck crew, amounting to 324 souls on board the aircraft.
Discovering another side of London
My concerns about arriving at Gatwick quickly disappeared.
Immigration formalities were straightforward, baggage collection was faster than I had anticipated, and within a short time, I was on the Elizabeth Line heading towards northeast London.
Instead of paying around £60 for a taxi, I reached my destination using London’s rail network for a fraction of the cost. It was a reminder that first impressions of airports can sometimes be misleading.
Returning with fewer doubts
I flew Air Peace again the following year, this time on April 30, my birthday.
Because the novelty had worn off, I paid closer attention to the details of the journey—and to the views of fellow passengers.
