LAGOS/Nigeria: The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Chris Najomo, has defended Air Peace over the recent disruption of one of its international flights, insisting that the airline acted responsibly and in full compliance with aviation regulations.
Addressing aviation correspondents in Lagos on Tuesday, Najomo dismissed reports suggesting that passengers were abandoned after the incident, stressing that adequate arrangements were immediately made to ensure their comfort and safety.
He explained that the aircraft landed safely and that engineers later detected a bird strike during a routine post-flight inspection.
According to him, the airline promptly contacted Boeing for technical guidance, after which the aircraft manufacturer advised that the plane should remain grounded pending necessary checks.
Najomo disclosed that all affected passengers were subsequently lodged at the Hilton London Gatwick Hotel located near Gatwick Airport.
“There was no case of abandonment. The passengers were taken care of,” Najomo said.
The NCAA boss further revealed that his wife was among the passengers on the affected flight and personally confirmed that proper arrangements were made by the airline.
He said passengers were continuously updated on developments and were provided with several support options, including hotel accommodation and rebooking assistance.
“Delays and cancellations happen across aviation, and no airline intentionally strands passengers,” he stated.
Najomo maintained that criticisms directed at the carrier were unfair, especially after preliminary investigations showed that the airline followed standard operational and safety procedures.
He called on Nigerians to support indigenous airlines instead of promoting narratives capable of damaging local operators struggling within a challenging global aviation environment.
The NCAA Director-General also attributed recent operational disruptions in the aviation industry to the rising cost of aviation fuel and prevailing geopolitical tensions across the world.
He noted that several international airlines had also reduced routes and scaled down onboard services as part of measures aimed at managing rising operational costs.
