Air Peace has said that its Abuja-Maiduguri flight was cancelled on Saturday due to a shortage of aviation fuel in Abuja and a restriction on operations at Maiduguri airport.
The airline explained that the delays in Abuja were because Jet A1 aviation fuel was not available. This problem also affected other airlines flying from the airport.
They said the situation got better when fuel was available and affected flights resumed. But, the Abuja-Maiduguri service could not go ahead because the Maiduguri control tower took back an earlier permission for the flight to land after sunset.
Air Peace shared this information in a statement after videos and reports showed passengers upset about the disruption at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Reasons for the flight cancellation
According to the airline, they planned for the Maiduguri flight to operate once the delays in Abuja were sorted out.
They mentioned that the control tower at Maiduguri airport had initially allowed the flight to arrive late. But later, just when they were calling passengers to board, they informed the airline that the airport now had to follow visual flight rules and could not operate after sunset.
Visual flight rules, or VFR, mean that pilots must fly under certain visual conditions instead of using instruments.
Air Peace said this change meant they could not run the Abuja-Maiduguri flight as they had planned. The airline then cancelled the flight and arranged for affected passengers to stay in a hotel.
They also planned to operate the flight the next day.
Passengers’ rights
This disruption comes as there is more focus on flight delays and cancellations in Nigeria. There is also attention on how airlines treat passengers when services are disrupted.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) found 7,961 domestic flights in August. Out of these, 4,765 were delayed and 36 were cancelled.
Air Peace accounted for 1,330 of the delayed flights in the NCAA report. This is about 71.4 percent of the 1,864 flights recorded for the airline.
However, the airline disagrees with these numbers. They said they operated 2,564 flights that month and that over 700 flights were not included in the NCAA data. They also said only 391 of their delayed flights were caused by issues within their operations.
This latest disruption comes just days after the NCAA told Air Peace to prepare a compensation package for passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight.
The regulator stated that their initial investigation showed that Air Peace had sent the wrong message to passengers about the rescheduled flight.
Under the NCAA’s Part 19 rules, airlines have responsibilities to passengers during delays and cancellations. This includes providing information and help in certain situations. For domestic flights, passengers can get refreshments after a two-hour delay. Longer delays can lead to refunds, rerouting, accommodation, and sometimes compensation.
The NCAA has also repeatedly highlighted the need for timely information and care for passengers during disruptions.
Air Peace’s response
Air Peace stated that passengers affected by Saturday’s disruption were informed about the delays and given refreshments.
After the cancellation, the airline said they provided hotel accommodation for the affected passengers. They also confirmed that arrangements were being made for the flight to operate the next day.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our esteemed passengers and appreciate their patience and understanding,” the airline said.
They emphasized that the safety and well-being of passengers is their top priority.
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