Nigerian Carrier Air Peace touched down in Barbados yesterday around 11:20 a.m. in the first flight of a direct service between the two countries.
In a reversal of the horrors of the Middle Passage, Barbados received willing travellers from the African continent arriving by air from Lagos, the largest city in Africa and regarded as a commercial, financial, and cultural hub.
On board the historic flight at Grantley Adams International Airport were more than 284 passengers that included Chief Commercial Officer for Air Peace Nowel Ngala, High Commissioner of Barbados to Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, along with A-lister Nigerian actress Temitope Olowoniyan and some delegates from Air Peace.
About 24 of the arriving passengers were transferred to the regional LIAT aircraft stationed in Barbados and flown to Antigua and Barbuda. Air Peace is the main shareholder in the regional airline.
Stakeholders are expected to hold a press conference today, but Shelly Williams, who just ended chairmanship at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., said all the protocols were followed, amid concerns about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was under her chairmanship that the Air Peace arrangements were made.
“We worked with immigration, public health and we worked with the border security. Before anyone even checked in, we had profilers to make sure they had all their documents and to check to ensure where they were coming from and once they passed that they were checked in. “When they landed they were screened.
We made sure it was done correctly, safely, and humane.
Immigration brought out their people to facilitate the flight and everything was done with accountability,” said Williams, Caribbean consultant with Air Peace.
Kiflu Jimma, one of the three captains, on his first visit to Barbados, said the weather was good and he looked forward to the expected twice-a-week trip.
“It’s beautiful,” he said upon landing at the airport.
Williams said that there is a planned trip for next month in collaboration with the Nigerian and Ghana tourist boards that would give Barbadians a glimpse into the countries with the direct flight rather than having stop-overs in England or other countries.
“When I saw the plane taxiing I felt happy and proud. We work really hard to get it here,” Williams stated.
She is hopeful for the possibilities of Barbadians travelling to the African continent for vacation, trade where they can purchase items such as coffee and flowers directly.
As a result Air Peace will be working with the travel agencies in order to build awareness among Barbadians about the continent.
The service will be from Lagos to Barbados with onward connections to destinations including Ghana and Abuja, which is expected to cut travel time between West Africa and the Caribbean to under nine hours. (AC)
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