Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, has addressed concerns surrounding the disruption of its London Gatwick to Lagos flight on May 1, 2026, stating that passengers were not abandoned and that the incident was handled in line with safety protocols.
In a statement released on Saturday, the airline said reports circulating on social media suggesting that passengers were left stranded without assistance misrepresented what actually happened.
According to the airline, the disruption was caused by a bird strike, an aviation incident that required the aircraft to be grounded immediately for safety inspections.
“The flight encountered a bird strike, which necessitated the immediate grounding of the aircraft for thorough checks in accordance with international safety standards,” the airline said. “Safety is our top priority, and we will not operate any aircraft without full clearance.”
Air Peace maintained that passengers were duly informed about the development and the subsequent cancellation of the flight.
“All affected passengers were promptly notified of the situation,” it stated, adding that arrangements were made to ease their inconvenience, including hotel accommodation at the Hilton London Gatwick.
The airline, however, admitted that some operational challenges affected aspects of passenger handling, particularly the retrieval of luggage.
“We experienced additional constraints such as airport congestion and delays from ground handling services responsible for baggage processing,” the statement explained.
It further noted that baggage handling at international airports is managed by third-party service providers, not the airline itself.
Responding to claims of neglect, Air Peace insisted that passengers were not left unattended at any point during the disruption.
“At no time were passengers abandoned. Communication was maintained throughout, and every effort was made to ensure their comfort and welfare,” it said, adding that plans were underway to deploy another aircraft to complete the journey.
The airline also expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as unwarranted criticism over the incident.
“We find the negative reactions to a safety-driven and unavoidable situation both surprising and unfair,” it stated, noting that the flight captain kept passengers informed throughout the process.
While acknowledging the inconvenience caused, Air Peace appealed to the public for understanding, stressing that aviation operations involve multiple layers of coordination and strict safety procedures.
“Aviation is not a plug-and-play operation. It involves complex processes and several stakeholders, all working to ensure safety at every stage,” the airline said.
Reaffirming its commitment to passengers, the company said it would continue to review its processes to improve its response to unforeseen disruptions.
“We remain committed to the safety, comfort, and overall well-being of our passengers,” the statement added.
