United Nigeria Airlines has suspended all flight operations to and from Benin Airport following the temporary closure of the airport’s runway by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The airline announced the suspension in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its management, noting that services would remain halted until the runway is declared operational again.
The development follows an earlier incident in which an aircraft landing at Benin Airport veered off the runway, prompting aviation authorities to close the runway to allow recovery efforts and carry out safety inspections.
Announcing the decision, the airline said, “We wish to inform our valued passengers and the general public that, due to the closure of the runway by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as a result of an excursion, all our flights to and from Benin Airport have been cancelled pending its reopening.”
United Nigeria Airlines expressed regret over the disruption and advised affected passengers to reach out to its customer service team for rebooking and other travel support.
“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused. All passengers who have been affected by this development are advised to contact our customer service for further information and any assistance needed with rebooking.
“We are open to offering any needed assistance because the welfare of our passengers is our priority,” the statement read.
The airline also appealed for patience as efforts continue to restore normal operations.
“We plead for your understanding at this time and sincerely apologise again for any inconvenience this may have caused. We appreciate your patience and are immensely grateful for your trust in United Nigeria Airlines,” it added.
An aircraft excursion occurs when an aircraft leaves the runway during take-off or landing.
Such occurrences often lead to the temporary shutdown of affected runways to enable aircraft recovery, assess any damage to airport infrastructure and conduct mandatory safety checks before operations resume.
FAAN is expected to reopen the Benin Airport runway after recovery operations have been completed and all required safety evaluations have been concluded, paving the way for the resumption of normal flight services.
