Passengers travelling with Air Peace may experience flight delays and cancellations after one of the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft sustained significant damage in a ground handling incident at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MM1) in Lagos.
The airline, in a statement issued on Wednesday, blamed the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) for the incident, saying one of the company’s baggage conveyor belt vehicles crashed into the aircraft’s engine shortly after passengers had safely disembarked from Flight P47427 from Kano.
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According to Air Peace, the impact rendered the aircraft “totally unserviceable,” forcing the airline to adjust its flight schedule because the aircraft had been assigned to operate multiple flights across its network in the coming days.
“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 airline said.
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Air Peace apologised to passengers whose travel plans may be affected, saying its operational and customer service teams are working to minimise the disruption by providing alternative travel arrangements and necessary assistance.
Investigation underway
The airline said it is working with the ground handling company and aviation authorities to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and 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 statement added.
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READ ALSO: Court upholds FCCPC’s powers to investigate Air Peace over ticket pricing complaints
Ground handling companies provide critical services to airlines, including baggage handling and the operation of specialised equipment around aircraft. Incidents involving ground support equipment can result in costly repairs, operational disruptions and flight schedule changes, particularly when aircraft engines are affected.
The latest incident comes months after another Air Peace aircraft was damaged by ground handling equipment at the Lagos airport in December 2025, raising renewed concerns about safety procedures during aircraft ground operations.
However, NAHCO had not responded to requests for comment as of the time this report was filed.
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