NAHCO Vehicle Rams Air Peace Aircraft Engine, Disrupts Flight Operations

Flight operations of Air Peace Airline, suffered a major disruption on Tuesday after a ground handling vehicle belonging to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) rammed into the engine of one of the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MMA1), Lagos.

The incident occurred shortly after Flight P47427 from Kano had safely landed and all passengers had disembarked.

Air Peace, in a statement issued by its management, said the NAHCO baggage conveyor belt vehicle crashed into the aircraft’s engine, causing extensive damage and rendering the aircraft unserviceable.

According to the airline, the damaged aircraft had been scheduled to operate several flights across its domestic network over the coming days.

“The ground handling equipment belonging to and operated by NAHCO tore into the aircraft and, as such, rendering the aircraft totally unserviceable,” the airline said.

Air Peace noted that the incident would inevitably affect its flight schedule, with passengers likely to experience delays and, in some cases, flight cancellations while the airline rearranges its fleet to minimise the disruption.

“This unfortunate incident has significantly impacted our operations, as the aircraft was rostered to operate multiple flights within our network over the coming days. Consequently, several scheduled services will experience delays, while some may regrettably be cancelled as we work to mitigate the disruption through fleet adjustments,” the statement added.

The airline apologised to passengers whose travel plans may be affected, assuring them that its operations and customer service teams are providing alternative travel arrangements and the necessary assistance.

“We sincerely apologise to our esteemed passengers whose travel plans may be affected by this unforeseen ground handling incident. Our operational and customer service teams are actively working to minimise the inconvenience by providing available alternatives and ensuring that affected passengers receive the necessary assistance,” Air Peace stated.

Reaffirming its commitment to safety, the airline said it is collaborating with NAHCO and the relevant aviation authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.

“At Air Peace, the safety of our passengers, crew, and equipment remains our highest priority. We are working closely with the relevant ground handling company and aviation authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and prevent a recurrence,” the airline added.

The incident is expected to put additional pressure on the airline’s operations until the affected aircraft is repaired or replaced.