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 a bird strike, adverse weather, technical issues, a false fire alarm and delays in aviation fuel availability.
In a statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, the airline acknowledged the inconvenience caused to passengers whose journeys were delayed, cancelled or had to be rearranged, while assuring the travelling public that measures were being implemented to restore stability to its operations.
According to Olajide, an inadvertent false fire alarm grounded one of the airline’s aircraft, while another remained out of service for several days following a bird strike. Adverse weather conditions also resulted in flight diversions, delays and cancellations, while other aircraft were subjected to mandatory technical inspections and maintenance.
The airline said delays in the availability of Jet A1 aviation fuel also contributed to disruptions in some instances.
Air Peace acknowledged that although some of the circumstances were beyond its immediate control, the resulting impact on passengers remained significant.
“While some of these circumstances were beyond our immediate control, we acknowledge the impact they have had on our passengers,” the airline said, adding that its focus was on managing the challenges responsibly, minimising disruption and ensuring passengers were adequately supported.
The carrier, however, stressed that operational pressures would not override safety considerations, maintaining that no aircraft would be returned to service until the necessary technical inspections and safety procedures had been completed.
“Air Peace will never compromise safety in an attempt to keep to a schedule,” it stated.
The airline said adverse weather, technical faults, bird strikes and other safety-related concerns would continue to take precedence over maintaining flight schedules, meaning aircraft required to remain grounded would not be returned to service simply to reduce delays or cancellations.
Air Peace said it was taking immediate steps to strengthen its operational resilience, including improving contingency arrangements and enhancing communication with passengers during unforeseen disruptions.
“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 stated.
The carrier said the measures were designed to minimise the impact of future disruptions and provide passengers with better information and support when operational challenges occur.
Air Peace reaffirmed its commitment to safe and dependable air transportation and expressed appreciation to passengers for their patience and continued confidence in the airline.
“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,” the airline said.
The carrier said it would continue working to improve reliability and service delivery while maintaining safety as a non-negotiable priority.
