Air Peace: Flight Cancellations Are Safety-Driven, Not Arbitrary
Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to passenger safety, stating that flight cancellations or delays are never made frivolously, but are guided by critical operational and safety considerations.
This response came following recent comments by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which urged the airline to align its operations with its available fleet, citing increased complaints over frequent flight disruptions.
In a statement released on Friday, Air Peace emphasized that while the NCAA’s concerns are acknowledged, the airline maintains a fleet larger than the number of aircraft it schedules for daily operations. “The suggestion that Air Peace operates beyond its available capacity is inaccurate. We currently have more aircraft than are deployed for our scheduled operations,” the airline clarified.
Reacting to the NCAA Director General Capt. Chris Najomo’s directive to enhance its domestic services, Air Peace expressed empathy towards passengers who have faced delays or cancellations. However, it firmly stressed that safety takes precedence over schedule or profit.
“At Air Peace, safety is, and will always remain, our cardinal priority,” the statement read. “We fully empathize with our valued passengers whose travel plans may be affected by delays or cancellations. Nevertheless, operational decisions are made solely to protect lives and uphold global aviation safety standards.”
The airline further explained that adverse weather, technical considerations, or any deviation from strict safety parameters are sufficient grounds to suspend or cancel a flight. “If such conditions are not met, the flight simply will not operate. We make no apologies for prioritizing safety,” it noted.
Addressing the NCAA’s recommendation to scale back operations, Air Peace reiterated, “Every cancellation or delay since inception has been guided by safety concerns — never due to aircraft shortage or negligence.”
Concluding its statement, the airline reinforced its position: “We do not cancel flights for the fun of it. Such decisions carry financial consequences for us, but we will never compromise safety for comfort, convenience, speed, or profit.”
