Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned Air Peace to its headquarters over a series of unexplained flight disruptions and complaints from passengers.
Gatekeepers News reports that Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the aviation regulator, disclosed that the airline has been invited to an urgent meeting scheduled to hold on Monday. The move followed reports of irregular flight operations, including complaints from passengers on the Abuja-London service.
According to Achimugu, some passengers on the Heathrow–Abuja route were rerouted through Gatwick and Lagos before returning to Abuja, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction among travellers. The situation reportedly escalated when the aircraft had to turn back mid-flight due to a cracked windshield.
He added that the flight disruption, alongside complaints about delayed refunds, compensation issues, and inadequate care for affected passengers, prompted the NCAA’s consumer protection department to step in and investigate the matter.
“The above, along with cases of delayed refunds and compensations, has activated the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA,” Achimugu said, stressing that the authority will not tolerate situations where passengers are left without proper assistance.
In response, Air Peace denied allegations that passengers were abandoned during the disruption. The airline explained that the aircraft returned as a precaution after engineers suspected the cracked windshield might have been caused by a bird strike.
The airline said the return to base was made strictly in line with aviation safety protocols and insisted that all passengers were attended to, with options provided to either continue their journey through Lagos or fly the following day from Abuja.
NCAA said it will review the situation and determine appropriate action in line with the provisions of the 2023 civil aviation regulations, reaffirming its commitment to protecting passenger rights and enforcing compliance among airlines operating in the country.
