Air Peace Introduces Buffer Against Delays, Cancellations, Records Over 100 Bird Strikes
As part of measures to address the challenge of flight schedule disruptions with delays and cancellations resulting from what Air Peace has described as external factors, Chairman of the airline, Dr. Allen Onyema says the airline is re-strategizing and now buffers fleet as it grounds three aircraft that are fully serviceable daily, so they can serve as back-up in case of unanticipated events like bird strikes or technical problems in aircraft being used.
Addressing journalists at a media parley held in Lagos, Onyema said though this extra-ordinary measure that is costly and goes beyond the standard practice of airline business is to ensure that Air Peace customers are satisfied. He said flight delays and cancellations are not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that most flight disruptions are caused by safety concerns and external factors such as weather, bird strikes, damage of aircraft by another airside service provider, unruly behaviour by passengers, amongst other factors. He explained that no airline enjoys flight delays and cancellations since they occur as a loss to the airlines. Admitting that though such occurrences, are inconveniencing to passengers, he appealed to domestic air travelers to understand that delays and cancellations occur in other parts of the world and that neither the airline nor the passengers benefit from such occurrences.
Onyema further stated that Air Peace has a policy of zero tolerance for unsafe flights and that the airline cannot be pushed into operating any flight that is not safe.
He announced that Air Peace has posted over 85% On-Time-Performance since May 12, 2025.
“We assure you of On-Time-Performance and exceptional customer service with the measures we have taken,” he said.
Highlighting the challenges that local airlines face in Nigeria, Onyema said within the last five years, his airline has had over 100 bird strikes, adding that there was a year it recorded 43 and that so far in 2025, it has recorded 30 bird strikes. Although he noted that something was already being done by the authorities to tackle the menace, bird strike is not the fault of an airline and when it occurs, flight delay and cancellation can follow.
“Last week, Air Peace had two bird strikes; one in Owerri and one in Port-Harcourt. They happened in the morning and 16 flights were affected that day,” he said, adding that Air Peace had to provide hotel accommodation for the passengers involved.
Onyema appealed to passengers that rush to social media with videos just to run down indigenous investments like Air Peace, Dangote and other big businesses, to have a rethink because the country’s economy and image are at stake and running down such investments will affect jobs and the nation’s economy.
