Travel often has a way of confronting our expectations. Sometimes, we set out with excitement; at other times, we travel with doubts planted in our minds by the experiences or opinions of others.
My first journey on Air Peace from Lagos to London was one such experience. I boarded the aircraft with some reservations, largely because of what I had heard about the airline. But by the time I returned to Nigeria, I had acquired a more personal perspective—one shaped not by hearsay, but by what I had actually experienced.
Looking back, I was reminded of the biblical account of the cupbearer and the baker in the story of Joseph in Egypt. Their experiences were eventually recorded, and I felt a sense of guilt that I had not documented mine earlier. That thought eventually pushed me to tell this story.
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, Lagos. The deciding factor was simple: price.
I had previously travelled to the UK on other airlines, but Air Peace offered a fare that fitted my budget.
There was, however, one detail that made me pause. For more than a decade, my flights to Britain had landed at Heathrow Airport. This time, my destination was Gatwick.
Then came another concern.
When I told a friend about my travel plans, the immediate reaction was:
“Why Air Peace? I’ve heard they lose people’s luggage.”
The statement stayed with me. For a moment, I contemplated changing my booking. But the additional cost and the conditions attached to changing the ticket did not make economic sense. I decided to keep the booking and judge the airline from my own experience.
The trip itself was work-related. I was travelling to cover Africa Fashion Week London in August and later the World Travel Market in November. I therefore expected to spend several weeks moving around the city.
A take-off so smooth; it went unnoticed
On departure night, I boarded the Boeing 777 and settled into my middle seat.
A young woman sat beside me, while on my other side was an elderly woman who appeared to be travelling abroad for the first time.
About 15 minutes after take-off, she gently tapped me.
“When is the plane going to move?” she asked.
I smiled.
“Ha, ma, we have been in the air for some time now.”
She looked at me in disbelief.
“Do you mean this plane is moving?” she queried.
Her reaction was priceless. The aircraft had taken off so smoothly that she had not realised we were already airborne.
It was one of those spontaneous moments that make travelling memorable.
Throughout the flight, the cabin crew remained courteous and attentive. The meals arrived as scheduled, and somewhere over the Atlantic, I found myself eating smoky party jollof rice—something I certainly did not expect to encounter on an international flight.
The arrival at Gatwick was equally smooth. The aircraft touched down without drama, drawing spontaneous applause from several passengers.
Talking to the captain
As a reporter, I have a habit of asking questions whenever I encounter something that catches my attention. So, after the flight, I reached out to the pilot, Captain Tochukwu Ejezie.
I am a proud reporter and not shy doing my interviews wherever I find newsworthy clues.
