Gatwick is gaining a new link to Lagos with charter flights supplier by Norse Atlantic Airways.
The service, using slots at the airport allocated to Nigerian carrier Air Peace to facilitate the new route, will initially operate for two months from April.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner service will run four times a week with the potential to extend into a longer-term agreement.
The ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) charter collaboration marks the start of a strategic partnership aimed at providing air travel between London and Lagos, according to Norse Atlantic.
Norse Atlantic and Air Peace “will continue to discuss potential longer-term partnerships between the two airlines to explore avenues for further collaboration and expansion in the future,” a statement said.
Norse Atlantic founder and chief executive Bjorn Tore Larsen said: “We are thrilled to be working with Air Peace to launch this ACMI charter service between London Gatwick and Lagos.
“This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to leverage our expertise in charter operations to deliver a reliable and high-quality service to Air Peace and their customers”
The Nigerian carrier’s chair and chief executive Allen Onyema added: “Air Peace is delighted to have signed this partnership deal with Norse Atlantic Airways for the commencement of our London service.
“As we make a foray into the European market, we are confident that this strategic partnership will further position us to surpass the expectations of our customers, offering them superior air travel experience while we continue to optimise our operations for more innovative service delivery.”