BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace has strongly spoken on media reports suggesting that members of its flight crew tested positive for alcohol and cannabis following the July 13, 2025 incident involving one of its Boeing 737-524 aircraft in Port Harcourt.
While insisting its operations are guided by the highest safety standards, the carrier said the issue was particularly disturbing since no official communication from the Bureau has been sent to the management.
The airline, in a statement, said it was compelled to “set the record straight” following stories suggesting its crew tested positive for alcohol and cannabis use.
“We are yet to receive any official communications from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol which took place in less than an hour of the incident,” the airline said.
Reaffirming its strict stance on safety, the management stressed: “Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!”
The airline disclosed that it had already taken internal action against the captain of the affected flight.
“The captain of the affected flight was grounded and relieved from further flight duty till date for failure to adhere to Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and for disregarding standard go-around procedures as advised by his co-pilot,” Air Peace explained.
However, it rejected reports linking the disciplinary action to substance use, clarifying that “the result was not communicated to us by NSIB to date.”
Air Peace also defended the professionalism of the First Officer, who it said had called for a go-around during the unstable approach.
“Contrary to reports in the media, the First Officer (Co-pilot)… has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The NCAA cleared him. If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.”
The airline admitted that if subsequent evidence confirmed a positive test for the captain, it would ramp up checks.
“If the relieved captain tested positive to the breathalyser test, then we must increase the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew,” it said.
Going forward, Air Peace said it will intensify “strict Fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring” to prevent any breach of its safety policies.
“Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations, and we reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised,” the airline noted.
