Air Peace has confirmed that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft was damaged on the ground at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MMA1), Lagos.
The airline said the incident occurred after a baggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) collided with one of the aircraft’s engines.
This is contained in a statement signed by the airline’s management on Wednesday in Lagos.
Air Peace said the incident occurred on Tuesday shortly after Flight P47427 from Kano had landed safely and passengers had disembarked.
According to Air Peace, the impact caused significant damage to the engine, rendering the aircraft unserviceable and disrupting its scheduled operations.
The affected aircraft had been assigned to operate several flights across the airline’s domestic network in the coming days.
As a result, Air Peace said some flights would experience delays, while others might be cancelled as it rearranges its fleet to minimise the operational impact.
The airline apologised to passengers whose travel plans may be affected by the disruption, assuring them that its operations and customer service teams are working to provide alternative travel options and necessary assistance.
Air Peace reiterated that the safety of its passengers, crew, and equipment remained its top priority.
It added that it is collaborating with NAHCO and relevant aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and prevent a recurrence.
The airline thanked passengers for their patience and understanding as it works to restore normal flight operations.
The NAHCO staff, who operated the equipment, slumped while operating the equipment that rammed into the aircraft.
The staff of the ground handling firm was yet to be identified as of the time of filing the report and is currently receiving medical treatment.
