Air Peace has confirmed that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft was severely damaged on the ground at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MMA1) in Lagos after a Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) baggage conveyor belt vehicle crashed into the aircraft’s engine.
The airline said the incident happened shortly after Flight P47427 from Kano had landed and passengers had safely disembarked.
According to Air Peace, the NAHCO-operated ground handling equipment struck the aircraft’s engine, leaving it “totally unserviceable.”
The airline said the damaged aircraft had been scheduled to operate several flights across its network in the coming days, forcing changes to its operations.
“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.
Air Peace apologised to passengers whose travel plans have been affected and said its operational and customer service teams are working to reduce the disruption.
“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,” the airline said.
The airline said it is working with NAHCO and aviation authorities to determine the cause of the incident and prevent a repeat.
“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.
Air Peace also thanked its customers for their patience and support as it manages the operational disruption caused by the damaged aircraft.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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