Air Peace has attributed the recent flight delays and cancellations experienced across some of its operations to a false fire alarm, adverse weather, bird strike, technical issues and delays in the availability of aviation fuel.
The airline, in a statement by its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Oluwatoyin Olajide, yesterday, apologised to passengers affected by the disruptions, regretting the frustration and inconvenience caused by the development.
According to Olajide, one of its aircraft was grounded following an inadvertent false fire alarm, while another aircraft was taken out of service for days after suffering a bird strike.
It added that adverse weather conditions also resulted in diversions, delays and, in some cases, outright cancellations across its operations.
The airline further cited technical issues that required mandatory checks and maintenance, as well as delays in the availability of aviation fuel in some instances, as contributing factors to the disruptions.
Olajide emphasised that while some of the circumstances were beyond its immediate control, the airline recognised the impact on passengers and was taking steps to minimise the consequences of the operational challenges.
The airline said: “The disruptions resulted from a combination of unforeseen circumstances, including an inadvertent false fire alarm that grounded one of our aircraft, adverse weather conditions that resulted in diversions, delays and, in some cases, outright cancellations, a bird strike that grounded another aircraft for days, technical issues requiring necessary mandatory checks and maintenance, as well as a delay in the availability of aviation fuel in some cases.
“While some of these circumstances were beyond our immediate control, we acknowledge the impact they have had on our passengers. Our focus is on managing these challenges responsibly, minimising disruption and ensuring that our passengers are not left to bear the consequences of operational challenges.”
The statement however, maintained that safety remained its priority at all times.
The airline insisted that it would not release an aircraft for service until its technical teams and relevant safety procedures had established that the aircraft was fit to fly.
It explained that where weather conditions, technical problems, bird strikes or other safety-related circumstances required an aircraft to remain on the ground, the decision would always take precedence over operational convenience.
Air Peace, however, stated it was taking immediate measures to stabilise its operations, strengthen contingency arrangements and improve communication and responsiveness whenever unforeseen challenges occurred.
The carrier assured passengers that it remained committed to providing safe and dependable air travel while improving the reliability and seamlessness of its operations.
