Nigeria’s biggest carrier, Air Peace Limited, has commented on the circumstances of the disruption of its London Gatwick-Lagos service on May 1, 2026.
The Airline, in a statement released on 𝕏, argued that passengers were not left stranded and that its actions were taken out of safety concerns.
A circulating social media video alleging passengers were left stranded without communication or care “does not accurately reflect the full circumstances surrounding the disruption,” management said.
The airline said the flight was affected by a bird strike, which it said was a “recognised force majeure event in aviation”, and said the aircraft had to be grounded immediately for safety checks.
“The affected flight experienced a bird strike which necessitated the immediate grounding of the aircraft for comprehensive safety inspections in line with global aviation standards,” the airline said, stressing that “safety is not negotiable, and under no circumstance would we operate an aircraft without the required safety clearance.”
However, Air Peace said the passengers were immediately informed of the incident and the subsequent cancellation.
“Affected passengers were immediately made aware of the incident and the cancellation of the service,” it said, adding that arrangements were made for the comfort of passengers, including hotel accommodation at the Hilton London Gatwick.
The airline did admit to operational challenges that resulted in delays to some passenger handling processes, particularly baggage retrieval.
“We had further operational constraints, such as airport congestion and delays from ground handling services responsible for baggage retrieval,” it elaborated.
Baggage handling is not directly under the control of the airline, it said.
“Baggage handling at international airports is handled by appointed ground handling companies and as such Air Peace does not have direct control over these processes,” the statement said.
The airline said it maintained communication throughout the disruption and rejected claims that passengers were abandoned.
“Passengers were never left behind. It said communication was maintained with all the affected passengers and every effort was made to ensure their welfare,” it said, adding that all passengers were offered accommodation while arrangements were being finalised to deploy another aircraft.
The airline also expressed concern about what it said was criticism of its handling of the incident.
“We are shocked and appalled at the relentless negative hounding of our airline over a safety-driven, force majeure incident,” it said, adding that the flight captain provided timely updates to passengers.
Air Peace, while apologising for the inconvenience, pleaded for understanding.
“We know that aviation disruptions can be upsetting but aviation operations are not ‘plug and play’,” it said, pointing to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and strict safety protocols.
The airline repeated its pledge, stating it “remains steadfast in its commitment to the safety, comfort, and overall well-being of our passengers” and that it will continue to review its processes to improve service during unplanned disruptions.
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