Air Peace: Windshield crack forced air return, denies stranding passengers

Nigeria’s flag carrier, Air Peace, has denied abandoning or leaving passengers stranded on its Abuja-London service.

In a statement, the carrier explained that it had an air return due to a windshield crack suspected to have been caused by a bird strike on our Abuja–London (Heathrow) flight.

It further clarified that the aircraft returned safely to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where all passengers disembarked, while our engineering team commenced the necessary technical checks.

“In line with our standard passenger care procedures and global aviation best practices, all affected passengers were well taken care of. We reiterate that no single passenger was left stranded.”

“We immediately provided passengers with options of flying out the same day through our Lagos-Gatwick route or flying the following day through Abuja to London. Majority of the passengers were flown to Lagos free of charge to join our Lagos – Gatwick. Some preferred to fly the next day through Abuja.”

“Hotel accommodation was provided to those who needed it. We therefore respectfully clarify that the characterisation of passengers as abandoned or stranded is inaccurate and wonder where this narrative originated.  As a responsible airline, Air Peace maintains a strong and cooperative working relationship with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and remains fully committed to regulatory compliance, passenger protection, and operational transparency.”

The carrier decried what it termed deliberate bashing and persistent hounding of Air Peace for   unfounded reasons, stressing that safety remains the cornerstone of its operations, and will continue to uphold the highest standards while delivering safe, reliable, and world-class air transport services across our domestic and international network.

Wole Shadare