MARCEL MBAMALU
When Air Peace grounded a London-bound aircraft after a bird strike last week, it was following textbook aviation safety procedure. But on Nigerian social media, safety looked like sabotage.
Within hours, viral videos and celebrity outrage turned a technical disruption into another round of national condemnation. The message was clear: delay a flight, and you’re guilty until proven innocent.
That reaction says less about Air Peace and more about us. We’ve built a public culture where criticism of local brands quickly mutates into demarketing, while the same disruptions abroad are treated as routine. If we keep confusing passenger rights with brand assassination, we’ll end up with no local airlines left to defend when the foreign carriers raise prices again.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe trouble started on the London route after engineers spotted signs of a bird strike during a post-landing check at Gatwick Airport. The aircraft was immediately pulled from service. For passengers, it meant hours of waiting and uncertainty in one of the world’s busiest airports.
The NCAA’s DG, Chris Najomo, confirmed Air Peace acted on Boeing’s advice, grounded the plane, and put passengers in hotels. But by then, the narrative had already slipped out of the airline’s control. Viral videos and angry posts online had reframed a safety decision into proof of “poor service,” and the outrage machine went into overdrive.
The viral videos showed visibly frustrated passengers stranded for hours inside airport facilities, while actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele was among public figures who criticised the airline over the incident.”
This is how it always goes with Air Peace. The moment there’s a delay, social media erupts. Facts come later, if at all. Yes, it’s a pattern now – any Air Peace incident gets torched online before regulator NCAA even opens its mouth.
This isn’t the first time. In August 2024, comedian Mr Jollof went viral calling out Air Peace over delays. The question was the same: why do schedules keep collapsing, and who pays for it?
But here’s the disconnect. Nigerians judge airlines by airport queues and missed meetings. Airlines are fighting bird strikes, fuel shortages, and an operating environment that chews up cash. In March, Air Peace’s spokesperson said it plainly: some delays came from fuel supply problems. That rarely trends.
And the environment is brutal. Nigeria Airways collapsed. ADC and Bellview went under. Aero Contractors has been in and out of life support for years. The graveyard is full of carriers that couldn’t survive the cost, the forex, and the politics. Expecting Air Peace to run like Emirates in this setting is wishful thinking.
The local brand demarketing problem
NCAA boss Chris Najomo was blunt this time. He accused influencers and commentators of “demarketing” a Nigerian airline. He’s right that delays happen everywhere – Delta, British Airways, everyone gets hit. But here’s the line: safety is not for negotiation. No airline should skip a safety check just to avoid bad PR.
Bird strikes aren’t a PR issue. They’re a life-and-death issue. When a bird hits an engine on takeoff or landing, it can shred turbine blades, knock out sensors, and compromise the whole aircraft.
That’s why global rules are strict. Even a minor hit means the plane is grounded until Boeing engineers and certified technicians say it’s safe. “Safe” is not negotiable.
Yes, delays are frustrating. But a missed flight beats a mangled fuselage. Aviation history is littered with crashes caused by ignored warning signs. Operators who cut corners don’t get a second chance.
Look at Jeju Air Flight 2216 last December. A bird strike in South Korea led to a failed landing, a runway overrun, and a fireball that killed 179 people. Two survived. Investigators found bird remains in both engines. That’s what happens when a strike goes wrong. In that context, Air Peace grounding the plane wasn’t overreaction. It was the bare minimum.
But safety is only half the story.
Communication is where Nigerian aviation fails!
If your flight is scheduled for 6 a.m. and cancelled at 5:45, you deserve to know why. Passengers don’t expect miracles. They expect information.
Instead, they get “please hold on” for three hours. No reason, no timeline, no updates. When airlines go quiet, social media fills the vacuum with anger and speculation.
And passengers have rights. Buying a Nigerian ticket doesn’t mean you surrender your right to respect and information. People aren’t angry just because a flight is late. They’re angry because they’re treated like they don’t matter.
Let’s be clear: criticism is not sabotage. Nigerians have been complaining about delays, cancellations, and poor communication long before TikTok existed. Social media just amplifies what’s been broken for years.
This is where the NCAA has to be careful. A regulator that sounds more like an airline PR team loses credibility. If you want fewer disruptions, fix the structural problems – fuel supply, forex access, airport infrastructure. You can’t police perception while ignoring reality.
Responsibility cuts both ways!
Najomo has a point about protecting local carriers. Air Peace is one of the few Nigerian airlines flying regional and international routes. Their London entry broke a monopoly and forced prices down. That matters.
But Nigeria’s social media space is ruthless. Influencers and celebrities can make or break a brand in 24 hours. With that power comes responsibility. Hold the entire sector to account, not just the one airline in the spotlight today.
And check before you post. If an airline says a plane is grounded for a bird strike, verify it. If they say passengers are in hotels, say it. Reporting only the anger creates a mob, not accountability.
The real issue is balance. Influencers need to understand that viral outrage has consequences. A tweet can destroy years of brand trust. But airlines and regulators also have to accept that today’s passenger is informed, connected, and done with silence.
The NCAA’s job isn’t to defend Air Peace. It’s to enforce safety, protect passengers, and keep public trust intact. That trust dies the moment the regulator looks like it’s picking sides. Be transparent. Be consistent. Be impartial. Anything less, and the whole system loses.
Dr. Marcel Mbamalu is a distinguished communication scholar, journalist, and entrepreneur with three decades of experience in the media industry. He holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and serves as the publisher of Prime Business Africa, a renowned multimedia news platform catering to Nigeria and Africa's socio-economic needs.
Dr. Mbamalu's journalism career spans over two decades, during which he honed his skills at The Guardian Newspaper, rising to the position of senior editor. Notably, between 2018 and 2023, he collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Northeast Nigeria, training senior journalists on conflict reporting and health journalism.
Dr. Mbamalu's expertise has earned him international recognition. He was the sole African representative at the 2023 Jefferson Fellowship program, participating in a study tour of the United States and Asia (Japan and Hong Kong) on inclusion, income gaps, and migration issues.
In 2020, he was part of a global media team that covered the United States presidential election.
Dr. Mbamalu has attended prestigious media trainings, including the Bloomberg Financial Journalism Training and the Reuters/AfDB Training on "Effective Coverage of Infrastructural Development in Africa."
As a columnist for The Punch Newspaper, with insightful articles published in other prominent Nigerian dailies, including ThisDay, Leadership, The Sun, and The Guardian, Dr. Mbamalu regularly provides in-depth analysis on socio-political and economic issues.
