Chinedu Eze
Nigeria’s leading carrier, Air Peace Limited has disclosed that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft sustained significant damage on the ground at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MMA1), Lagos.
The incident happened when a Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) baggage conveyor belt vehicle crashed into the aircraft’s engine shortly after the completion of Flight P47427 from Kano and the safe disembarkation of passengers on Tuesday.
The ground handling equipment belonging to and operated by NAHCO tore into the aircraft and, as such, rendering the aircraft totally unserviceable.
“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 in a statement.
The airline apologised to its 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.
“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 airline stated.