Tag: Air Peace

Air Peace Limited has agreed to refund affected Jamaica-bound passengers who were reportedly stranded in Barbados following a flight diversion, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has affirmed.

Its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, confirmed in a post on his verified X handle (formerly Twitter), on Friday.

This is as Air Peace Limited strongly refuted the allegations, describing reports that it sold tickets to Jamaica and dumped passengers in Barbados as misleading and inaccurate.

Some of the affected passengers had claimed they purchased Air Peace tickets for a Lagos–Kingston, Jamaica flight, only to be informed at the airport that the airline would no longer fly directly to Jamaica but to Barbados instead.

The flight departed Lagos on December 21, 2025.

But in its explanation, a statement signed by its management on Monday, the airline said all tickets were sold in line with international airline sales practices and aviation regulations, insisting that it did not mislead passengers or engage in deceptive practices.

Air Peace explained that during pre-departure profiling and documentation checks at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, it was discovered that some passengers lacked the required transit visas to travel via Antigua to their final destinations, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.

According to the airline, affected passengers were immediately offered full refunds, which some accepted, while others voluntarily requested rerouting through Barbados, noting that Nigerian passport holders do not require transit visas through Barbados.

“Based solely on this voluntary request, Air Peace facilitated the rerouting. In total, 42 passengers freely and expressly had their tickets rerouted through Barbados to their final destinations. No passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled to travel to Barbados,” the airline stated.

In a latest development, Achimugu, in a statement on X, Friday said: “I hopped on a phone call with the Chairman of Air Peace this morning, bringing to his attention, the testimonies and plight of the airline’s passengers who were bound for Jamaica, but ended up in Barbados from where they were deported.

“He maintains that, during profiling in Lagos, it was discovered that some passengers did not have the necessary travel documents to make the LAGOS-ANTIGUA-JAMAICA flight. Therefore, the airline offered to refund their fares, but the passengers declined that option and instead proceeded to Barbados, which is a visa-free destination.

“According to him, Air Peace had already paid for their onward flight from Antigua to Jamaica, a flight operated by Liat Air.

“Because there was no way they would have made it via Antigua, they decided to go via Barbados. One thing the passengers did not tell the Authority during our phone calls was that 67 passengers were actually allowed to go on to Jamaica.

“The 25 held back were those who could not convince the immigration authorities. Some of them did not have onward tickets to Jamaica, and some of them could not show proof of up to 100 dollars in their possession. Others provided unsatisfactory answers about their accommodation in Jamaica.

“The airline says that it is prepared to prove its case and proceed to court if the ‘truth’ is not told. His question was, “You know the volume of refunds and compensations we do. How much is the refund for 25 passengers that we cannot do, if the airline owes them the refunds? We flew them to Barbados and back to Nigeria, after all.” To cut a long story short.

“At the NCAA, we try to find balance and resolve some cases via simple mediation. Some events are not so great for the brand we are building for this industry. Passengers and operators have responsibilities, and the regulations are clear on these.

“I called on the chairman to, in the spirit of the season and because we have loads of other cases to treat, have the airline do a refund to the affected passengers.

“He has agreed to do this. The passengers will now be refunded. I am awaiting feedback on how the refunds will be processed. From the perspective of law, let me respond to people who keep wanting me to address issues emotionally:

“Ignorance is no excuse in law. The passengers claim that they were coerced to accept to fly to Barbados or forfeit their monies. They have provided no evidence of this allegation. The airline claims otherwise. It is a case of he-said, she-said.

“The passengers who reached out to investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, should have DECLINED to travel from Lagos. If the airline failed to refund them, they could have reached out to the renowned journalist then. Their case would have been stronger than accepting to fly to Barbados only to demand refunds after being deported by immigration.

“We know that people emigrate illegally. When caught, it is a bad image for Nigeria. I find it strange that Nigerian passengers would not raise a hell-storm if an airline told them that they would not be refunded. This is not consistent with our experience at the terminals.

“Speaking to the regulations is not the same as taking sides. Passengers are not always right simply because they reported an issue first.

‘If going to Barbados was not agreeable, then why are the same passengers, by their own admission, asking to be flown back to Barbados again, this time with fake return tickets which the airline refused to do because it is a criminal offence. I am glad that we have come up with a solution. It is a financial loss for the airline, but one that they have agreed to bear.

“The NCAA is still going ahead with an LOI to the airline, and will interpret the regulations to avoid a recurrence of this kind of issue. I have communicated this to the chairman, and he is open to being scrutinised. If the airline is found culpable on some points, sanctions will apply.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has asserted that Nigerians pay the lowest domestic flight fares in the world.

Onyema made the disclosure during a television interview on Sunday, monitored by The Nation, where he compared ticket prices in Nigeria with those in Europe and other regions globally.

Addressing concerns over alleged unjustified increases in airfares to various domestic destinations during the Yuletide season, Onyema stated, “Nigerians are flying the cheapest fares in the world, domestically, and I will prove it to you. The airfares are not just for this season, generally, and even this season.”

“Nigerians are paying the cheapest. For instance, Google Delta Air from Atlanta to Charleston. Atlanta to Charleston is less than 50 50-minute flight. So, it’s like going to Owerri or thereabouts. If you put the 5th of January there, you’ll be seeing about $400”.

On whether it was appropriate to compare airlines operating in Nigeria with countries in Europe and other parts of the world, Onyema said, “Aviation is the same aviation worldwide. We buy our aircraft from the same market. In fact, they are even in a better state than we are. 

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“They could get their spare parts or engines from the next shop. In fact, they could get it from the same airport where they operate from, the MRO might be there. For the Nigerian airline to do any maintenance that requires base maintenance, you have to ferry your aircraft spending about $400,000 just to ferry.

“If you want to buy your engine, you can pay as much as $1.5 million to bring back your engine but airlines over there don’t pay maybe more than $10,000 to move the engine from one point to the other. So, Europe or wherever, it is the same aviation, the same amount of money, the same dollar. Nothing is produced in Nigeria”.

He added, “One hour flight costs over $400 out there. That’s what I was trying to tell you. For a main cabin, it’s $459, Comfort is $549, and Business class is $609 for a round trip.

“For one way trip, you will get $399 if you want to fly in two weeks. When you multiply that by N1,500, you will be getting over N600,000. If it’s over $400, you’re getting almost N800,000. In Nigeria, we still have tickets for N125,000.

“We have tickets for N115,000 in Nigeria, which is less than $60. Why don’t you understand why the mortality rate of airlines in Nigeria is so high? The worst world over. Over 80 airlines have come and gone…So, please, they should let Nigerian airlines be. Enough is enough.”

Flight operations involving a brand-new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft belonging to Air Peace Limited were significantly disrupted on Friday, Boxing Day, following a ground handling incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

According to a statement by the airline, the incident occurred when a luggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) reportedly collided with the engine of the aircraft, registered as 5N-BYH, while it was on the ground after passengers had completed boarding.

The aircraft, the statement added, was scheduled to operate Flight P47750 from Lagos to Accra when the collision occurred.

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The impact, it said, caused visible damage, resulting in a dent and tear on the aircraft’s Thrust Reverser Cowling, a part of the engine cover, prompting an immediate safety assessment and the grounding of the aircraft.

As a result of the incident, all passengers already on board were asked to disembark, leading to operational delays and disruptions.

Sources confirmed that nine scheduled flights assigned to the aircraft for the day were affected, leaving numerous passengers stranded or rebooked on alternative services.

Aviation industry sources note that the Embraer 195-E2 involved is part of Air Peace’s newest fleet acquisitions, making the damage particularly significant. Beyond passenger inconvenience, the incident has financial implications, as engine-related repairs on modern commercial aircraft are known to be capital-intensive.

Earlier in the year, a similar incident involving engine cowling damage reportedly cost the airline approximately $3.5 million to rectify.

Industry observers continue to express concern over ground handling safety standards at Nigeria’s busiest airports, citing recurring issues linked to equipment condition, poor personnel training, and ramp safety procedures. Such incidents, they argue, not only disrupt airline schedules but also erode passenger confidence and impose substantial avoidable costs on operators.

No injuries were reported, and investigations are expected to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the collision, including equipment condition and compliance with standard operating procedures.

…disrupts multiple flights 

Flight operations involving a newly acquired Embraer 195-E2 aircraft belonging to Air Peace Limited were disrupted on Boxing Day following a ground handling incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

In a statement, the airline said the incident occurred when a luggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) allegedly collided with the engine of the aircraft, registered as 5N-BYH, while it was on the ground after passengers had completed boarding.

The aircraft was scheduled to operate Flight P47750 from Lagos to Accra when the collision occurred. 

According to the airline, the impact caused visible damage to the engine, resulting in a dent and tear on the Thrust Reverser Cowling, necessitating an immediate safety assessment and the grounding of the aircraft.

Following the incident, all passengers already on board were asked to disembark, leading to delays and operational disruptions.

Sources confirmed that nine scheduled flights assigned to the aircraft for the day were affected, with many passengers either stranded or rebooked on alternative services.

Aviation industry sources noted that the Embraer 195-E2 involved is among Air Peace’s newest fleet additions, making the damage particularly significant. 

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Beyond passenger inconvenience, the incident carries financial implications, as engine-related repairs on modern commercial aircraft are capital-intensive.

Earlier this year, a similar engine cowling damage incident reportedly cost the airline about $3.5 million to fix.

Industry observers have continued to raise concerns over ground handling safety standards at Nigeria’s busiest airports, pointing to recurring issues related to equipment condition, personnel training, and ramp safety procedures. 

They warned that such incidents not only disrupt airline operations but also undermine passenger confidence and impose substantial, avoidable costs on operators.

No injuries were reported, and investigations are expected to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the collision, including equipment condition and adherence to standard operating procedures.

 Air Peace has concluded plans to significantly enhance its regional network by transitioning all regional operations from night-time services to daytime flights.

The airline also reaffirmed its commitment to expanding Africa-to-Africa connectivity, disclosing plans to introduce additional regional routes before the end of the first quarter of 2026.

According to the carrier, the proposed new destinations include Douala, Libreville, Kinshasa, Conakry, Bamako, and Johannesburg.

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The strategic shift, scheduled to take effect from February 2, 2026, is aimed at improving passenger convenience, operational reliability, and overall regional connectivity.

In a statement, Air Peace said the daytime operations would offer more competitive schedules that seamlessly align with onward domestic, regional, and long-haul departures.

The airline noted that the new structure would further strengthen its position as a preferred carrier for travel between Nigeria, West Africa, and other parts of the continent, while delivering improved connectivity from Lagos to key regional markets.

According to the carrier, the optimized schedule will also intensify competition among regional and international airlines operating from Lagos, reinforcing Air Peace’s role as a key enabler of intra-African trade, tourism, and mobility.

Air Peace highlighted several benefits of the initiative for passengers and the region, including enhanced comfort and travel experience, improved schedule reliability and on-time performance, stronger connections to night-time long-haul flights, and increased support for business, government, and leisure travel across West and Central Africa.