Headline

Why Air Peace Was Denied Heathrow Airport Slots, UK Responds To FG’s Letter

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2024

The United Kingdom, UK, through its Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, has explained why Nigerian flag carrier, Air Peace, was denied access to Heathrow Airport.

According to Haigh, Air Peace submitted its requests for slots too late for both the Summer 2024 and Winter 2024/2025 seasons.

In a letter dated September 5, 2024, addressed to Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Haigh explained that Air Peace’s request was received after the Airports Coordination Limited, ACL, had already completed the slot coordination process for the summer season.

Outlining the options available to Air Peace, Haigh stated that the airline could either join the waitlist, operate from another airport, or acquire slots through slot trading and commercial arrangements with other carriers.

The letter reads in part: “We encourage Air Peace to continue to liaise with Airports Coordination Limited, ACL, on the process for acquiring ad-hoc and historic slots at the UK’s coordinated airports.

“ACL reports that Air Peace sent late requests for slots for the Summer 2024 season and the Winter 2024/2025 season; their requests were received after the slot coordination process had concluded for each season.

“Carriers can ensure they are in the best position to receive any available slots by following the correct processes.

“As you may be aware, Heathrow Airport is constrained by runway capacity and an Air Traffic Movement limit, which places downward pressure on the number of slots available in any operating season.

“For example, for the Summer 2024 season, a total of 290,580 slots were available, but the number of slots requested reached 319,721.

“This left 29,141 unfulfilled slot requests, which were placed on a waitlist to potentially receive slots returned to the pool.

“Gatwick Airport, the second busiest in the UK, offers many connections to Europe, Asia, and North America. It benefits from a direct, mainline rail connection to central London with comparable travel times to other London airports.

“Several carriers from different nations have developed substantial and successful operations at Gatwick Airport. The Department understands the position this puts new entrant carriers in.

“ACL advises that carriers have three options in this scenario: join the waitlist, operate from another airport as Air Peace has done, or acquire slots through slot trading and commercial arrangements with other carriers.”

In September, Keyamo wrote a diplomatic letter to the UK aviation authorities requesting landing slots for Air Peace at Heathrow, the preferred airport for many international airlines operating in the UK.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

41 minutes ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

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Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.