A new Air Peace E2 aircraft, fully booked until January 2026, experienced significant disruption at Lagos Airport on Friday when a ground handler’s conveyor belt struck its engine cover. The incident occurred after passengers had already boarded the Lagos-Accra flight, forcing their immediate deboarding and causing widespread operational delays for the airline. This unfortunate event highlights ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) swiftly confirmed the collision, with its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, detailing the damage via a post on X. Achimugu emphasised the severity of the impact, which rendered the newly acquired aircraft inoperable and initiated a cascade of flight cancellations and rescheduling for an extensive period. The immediate consequence included the grounding of an aircraft scheduled to operate nine flight sectors.
The incident has created substantial operational hurdles for Air Peace, an airline that has recently expanded its fleet. All passengers booked on the affected aircraft’s subsequent operations face inevitable disruptions, including delays and cancellations, extending well into 2026. This unforeseen grounding of a key asset presents a significant logistical and financial strain for the carrier, impacting its service delivery and passenger commitments.
Michael Achimugu articulated the airline’s predicament, noting that Air Peace would incur considerable financial losses for repairs, refunds, and passenger compensation, despite the incident not being its fault. He drew parallels to a previous bird strike that cost the airline over $3 million and took a month to resolve, underscoring the substantial foreign currency expenditure for such repairs. The recurring nature of these external challenges poses a severe threat to airlines’ profitability and operational stability.
The NCAA spokesman strongly advocated for increased accountability for poorly trained ground handling personnel, whose inefficiencies inflict significant reputational, financial, and technical damage on airlines. He expressed the Authority’s intent to strengthen existing regulations, potentially imposing heavier sanctions on service providers responsible for such incidents. This proactive stance aims to foster a culture of greater responsibility and adherence to safety protocols across the aviation ecosystem.
Achimugu asserted that airlines should not bear sole responsibility for disruptions caused by third-party errors, advocating for honest and transparent communication with passengers regarding the true causes of delays. He highlighted the industry practice of citing “technical/operational reasons,” which often masks external failures and unfairly places the blame and ire of aggravated passengers solely on the airline. This lack of transparency can erode public trust.
Addressing the practical implications, Achimugu expressed hope for adequate insurance coverage to mitigate the financial impact of such losses. He also inquired about the availability of standby aircraft, acknowledging that while Air Peace possesses two, they were already deployed to cover other similar situations. Furthermore, these standby aircraft often have lower seating capacities, complicating efforts to re-accommodate passengers from larger, damaged planes like the E2.
The Director stressed the importance of comprehensive public education and clearer disclosure of facts to prevent the aviation industry from appearing secretive or culpable when external factors are at play. He maintained that greater transparency about the “behind-the-scene situations” would foster a better understanding among passengers and the public, thereby reducing undue criticism directed at airlines for incidents beyond their control. This initiative is crucial for industry credibility.
This incident underscores the urgent need for a holistic review of ground handling operations and stricter enforcement of safety standards at Nigerian airports. As the nation’s aviation sector continues to expand, ensuring every component of the operational chain meets stringent international benchmarks becomes paramount. Proactive measures are essential to safeguard passenger safety, maintain airline schedules, and protect the industry’s reputation.
