Air Peace Airlines has provided explanations regarding recent flight delays and cancellations across its domestic routes, attributing the disruptions to strict adherence to safety protocols rather than fleet limitations.

In a statement addressing concerns raised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which advised the airline to align its operations with the size of its active fleet, Air Peace reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to passenger safety.

“Safety is and will always remain our cardinal priority,” the airline stated. “We fully empathize with our esteemed passengers who experience discomfort, inconvenience, or disrupted plans due to flight delays or cancellations. However, we do not regret taking operational decisions rooted in the protection of human lives and in strict adherence to safety standards.”

The airline emphasized that it will not operate any flight where weather conditions, technical issues, or operational parameters fall short of acceptable safety levels.

Addressing the NCAA’s reported recommendation to scale back operations to match available aircraft, Air Peace countered that fleet size was not the root cause of the disruptions.

“Air Peace has more aircraft available than are currently rostered for daily operations. Therefore, any delays or cancellations we’ve experienced have absolutely nothing to do with fleet shortage,” the airline clarified.

To illustrate, the carrier cited a recent incident involving an aircraft that suffered a bird strike and engine damage during landing in Enugu. The aircraft, which had been scheduled for multiple flights, was grounded immediately in accordance with standard safety protocol, causing a ripple effect on subsequent operations.

“This kind of situation is completely beyond the control of any airline,” Air Peace noted. “But again, our priority is the safety of our passengers.”

The airline apologized to affected passengers and reaffirmed its dedication to improving service delivery while maintaining strict compliance with safety and regulatory standards