BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace has apologised to passengers affected by a wave of flight delays and cancellations in recent days, attributing the disruptions to a combination of adverse weather, technical issues, a bird strike, a false fire alarm and delays in aviation fuel availability.
The airline, in a statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, acknowledged the inconvenience caused to passengers and said it was taking immediate steps to stabilise its operations and strengthen contingency measures.
According to the airline, one of its aircraft was grounded after an inadvertent false fire alarm, while another was taken out of service for several days following a bird strike.
It added that adverse weather conditions had also resulted in flight diversions, delays and cancellations on some routes.
“While some of these circumstances were beyond our immediate control, we acknowledge the impact they have had on our passengers,” she said.
The airline explained that some aircraft also required mandatory technical checks and maintenance before being returned to service, while the availability of aviation fuel contributed to delays in some cases.
Air Peace said it understood the frustration caused by the disruptions, particularly to passengers whose travel plans were affected, and expressed regret over the situation.
It, however, stressed that safety considerations would always take precedence over flight schedules and operational convenience.
The airline said it would not release an aircraft for service until its technical teams and other relevant safety procedures had confirmed that the aircraft was fit to fly.
“Air Peace will never compromise safety in an attempt to keep to a schedule. In Air Peace, safety remains our highest priority. We will NEVER compromise the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft,” the company stated.
It added that where adverse weather, technical problems, bird strikes or other safety-related circumstances made it necessary to keep an aircraft on the ground, such decisions would take precedence over maintaining the flight schedule.
The airline’s latest statement comes amid growing concerns among passengers over recent disruptions to its flight operations, with affected travellers facing delays, cancellations and the need to rearrange their journeys.
Air Peace said it was reviewing its operational processes to reduce the impact of unforeseen events on passengers.
“We are taking immediate steps to stabilise our operations, strengthen our contingency measures and improve our communication and responsiveness when unforeseen challenges arise,” the airline said.
It also pledged to improve communication with passengers whenever operational difficulties occur, saying that better responsiveness would form part of its measures to minimise inconvenience.
The airline maintained that despite the recent challenges, it remained committed to providing safe and dependable air transportation and rebuilding passengers’ confidence in its services.
“To every passenger who has been inconvenienced, kept waiting, had a journey disrupted or had to rearrange important plans because of these operational challenges, we sincerely apologise,” it said.
Air Peace further thanked passengers for their patience and continued confidence, promising to deliver improved service and reliability.
The airline said safety would remain the foundation of its operations as it works to restore normalcy and provide a more seamless travel experience.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
