BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace has attributed recent flight disruptions at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the temporary unavailability of Jet A1 aviation fuel and unfavourable weather conditions.
The airline, in a statement, said the initial delays affected its Abuja operations after aviation fuel became unavailable at the airport, affecting Air Peace and other airlines operating from the facility.
It said operations resumed after the fuel became available, with affected flights commencing accordingly.
However, the airline said its Abuja-Maiduguri flight could not operate as scheduled despite an initial extension granted for the service.
According to Air Peace, prevailing Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions made the extension no longer possible by the time the aircraft was ready for boarding, as the flight could not operate beyond sunset.
The development sparked complaints from some passengers, with footage of affected travellers expressing their frustration circulating on social media.
Air Peace said it kept passengers informed throughout the disruption and provided refreshments to those affected.
Following the cancellation of the Abuja-Maiduguri flight, the airline said it provided hotel accommodation for affected passengers and made arrangements to operate the service the following day.
“Safety and wellbeing of our passengers remain paramount,” the airline said, adding that it regretted the inconvenience caused by the disruptions.
The airline also thanked the affected passengers for their patience and understanding.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
