Victor EzejaLeading Nigerian airline, Air Peace, has clarified that its reason for cancelling or delaying flights is usually due to safety concerns, not for fun.
The airline said it prioritises the safety of passengers more than profit motive and is usually forced to cancel or delay flights for safety concerns whenever the need arises.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAir Peace stated this while responding to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s warnings about delays and cancellations of flights.
The civil aviation authority, which said it has received a series of complaints from air travelers about delays and cancellations of flights by Air Peace, warned that the airline should operate in accordance with its fleet size, insinuating that the airline was operating more routes than its available aircraft.
A statement released said the NCAA Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, directed the management of Air Peace to improve the operations of the airline to curb complaints of incessant delays and cancellations of flights being made by the traveling public.
READ ALSO: NCAA Backs Air Peace For Taking Action Against Unruly Passengers
The NCAA emphasised that while the authority remains committed to supporting airlines, operators must adhere to regulatory standards and global best practices.
Reacting to that, Air Peace insisted that safety is the airline’s top priority and that it has never cancelled a flight just for fun.
READ ALSO: Air Peace Leads With Highest Passenger Traffic In Nigeria
“At Air Peace, safety is and will always remain our cardinal priority. These delays and cancellations are dictated by safety considerations.
“We fully empathise 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.
“If weather conditions, technical parameters, or operational standards fall short of what is safe, we will not operate that flight,” the airline’s stated.
Addressing the issue of reducing the size of its operations to align with available aircraft, Air Peace said it had more aircraft than scheduled for operations daily.
It maintained that any delay or cancellation of a flight had nothing to do with shortage of fleet.
“While we understand the spirit of that recommendation, we must clearly state that 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.”
READ ALSO: Air Peace Elevates Two Pilots To Captain On Boeing 737 Fleet
Air Peace further explained that the reason that often leads to flight delays and cancellations is beyond the control of any airline, adding that such decisions are usually taken in the interest of the passengers.
“It is to be stated that every decision Air Peace has taken since the inception of this airline, whether resulting in a delay, cancellation, or suspension of flight, has been taken in the best interest of safety. And if such situations occur again, we will do the same because we are not ready to compromise safety.
“We do not cancel any flight for the fun of it. It is not our policy to delay or cancel flights without due cause, and when we do, we are often the greater loser financially.
“We will never sacrifice safety for convenience, comfort, speed, or profit,” it added.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
