BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
In response to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) recent statement urging Air Peace to improve its domestic flight operations due to chronic delays and cancellations, the airline has issued a comprehensive response, reaffirming its commitment to safety and operational integrity.
Air Peace, one of Nigeria’s leading carriers, expressed its deep respect for the NCAA’s regulatory oversight of aviation in Nigeria, but emphasised the need to clarify key points in the statement, particularly regarding the causes of delays and cancellations.
The airline reiterated that its commitment to safety remains paramount, stating that any delays or cancellations are strictly tied to safety considerations, including adverse weather, technical issues, or operational standards that fall short of ensuring safe flight operations.
“Safety is, and will always remain, our cardinal priority. We fully empathise with passengers who experience inconvenience due to delays or cancellations, but we will never compromise the protection of human lives and the adherence to safety protocols”, the airline said.
Air Peace also addressed the NCAA’s suggestion to reduce the airline’s operations to better align with its fleet capacity.
While acknowledging the spirit of the recommendation, the airline clarified that it possesses more aircraft than are currently being rostered for daily operations.
According to Air Peace, any operational disruptions are not related to fleet shortages but are instead caused by unforeseen circumstances, such as the bird strike incident involving one of their aircraft, which occurred while landing in Enugu.
“We had to ground the aircraft immediately after the bird strike, as per safety protocol,” the airline explained.
“This incident led to the unavailability of the aircraft for subsequent flights, which impacted multiple routes.
However, safety considerations dictated this decision, and it was entirely beyond our control.”
In the statement, Air Peace reassured the public that it remains focused on providing quality service to passengers with the highest levels of professionalism, while adhering strictly to safety standards.
The airline also reiterated that it never cancels flights for trivial reasons, acknowledging that such decisions often come at a financial loss to the airline.
“We do not cancel any flight for the fun of it. It is not our policy to delay or cancel flights without due cause.
“We will continue to prioritize safety over convenience, comfort, speed, or profit,” Air Peace affirmed.
The airline also reiterated its commitment to serving passengers with dignity, professionalism and an unwavering dedication to safety.
