Domestic Airlines Recorded 765 Flight Delays In Q3, Says Aviation Authority

A total of 765 flights were delayed between July and September 2025, representing 22.95 per cent of the 17,731 flights operated across 26 domestic airports by local airlines during the period, LEADERSHIP has learnt.

Data obtained from the Summary of Airline Flight Performance published on the website of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also showed that 80 flights were cancelled, accounting for 0.12 per cent of total operations in the third quarter of 2025.

The report which examined the performance of the 13 airlines in the same period of 2024 with most recording some levels of improvements in service delivery in 2025.

According to the report, Air Peace had the highest number of flight delays in Q3 with 6.87; Max Air, 3.75 per cent; United Nigeria, 3.42 per cent; Rano Air, 1.74 per cent; XE Jet, 1.62 per cent and Ibom Air with 1.23 per cent flight delays within the period under review.

Others were Aero Contractors; 1.20 per cent; Arik Air, 0.96 per cent; ValueJet, 0.93 per cent; Overland, 0.45 per cent; NG Eagle, 0.39 per cent; Umza Air, 0.24 per cent and Green Africa with 0.15 per cent of its total flights operated within the period.

On cancelled flights, United Nigeria topped the list with 0.63 per cent of its total flights; Max Air, 0.42 per cent of its total flights, while the two airlines under the receivership of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Aero Contractors and Arik Air were joint in a third place with 0.30 per cent of cancelled flights within the period under review.

Others were Green Africa, 0.27 per cent; Ibom Air, 0.12 per cent; Air Peace, 0.09 per cent. Meanwhile, NG Eagle, Overland, Rano, and Value Jet all had 0.03 per cent flight cancellations, while Umza Air, which commenced flight operations in November, had zero per cent cancellation.

However, for Q3 of 2024 operations, the data showed that 15,898 flights were operated within the period, with 251 cancelled flights, indicating a 1.58 per cent cancellation rate.

Between July and September 2024, a total of 843 flights were delayed, accounting for 25.29% of the total flights operated during the period.

The Q3 2024 report indicated that Arik Air and Air Peace led the pack of airlines with the highest number of cancelled flights, at 1.70 per cent of total flights operated within the period, while Ibom Air and United Nigeria had 0.80 per cent and 0.70 per cent, respectively.

Others were Max Air, with 0.60 per cent; Aero Contractors, Overland, and Value Jet all had 0.30 per cent each, while NG Eagle and Rano Air both had 0.10 per cent each in cancellations within the period.

For the Q3 2024 delayed flights, Air Peace led with 8.07 per cent of its total flight, followed by Max Air with 4.11 per cent; United Nigeria, 3.48 per cent and Arik Air on 3.00 per cent.

Others were Ibom Air, 1.68 per cent; ValueJet, 1.62 per cent; Aero Contractors and Overland Airways, each with 1.11 per cent; Rano Air, 0.54 per cent; Green Africa, 0.33 per cent; and NG Eagle had the least delayed flights within the period, with 0.24 per cent.