NCAA summons Air Peace over flight disruptions, stranded passengers

Nigeria’s aviation regulator has summoned Air Peace to an emergency meeting on Monday following a wave of passenger complaints linked to flight disruptions, delayed refunds and alleged poor handling of affected travellers.

The meeting follows reports that travellers on the Heathrow–Abuja service were diverted through Gatwick and Lagos before eventually being stranded in Lagos after the aircraft reportedly returned due to a cracked windscreen.

The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed the development on Saturday in a post on X.

“Air Peace has been summoned to the NCAA HQ for an urgent meeting on Monday with regards to a number of unexplained disruptions, including complaints received today from passengers on the Heathrow-Abuja flight who were rerouted via Gatwick-Lagos-Abuja and left stranded in Lagos because of a reported air return due cracked windshield,” he wrote.

He said the complaints, alongside cases involving delayed refunds and compensation, had prompted action from the regulator’s Consumer Protection Department.

“We will not tolerate any abandonment of paying passengers. While the Authority continues to support domestic carriers, we hold all operators to the strictest standards,” Achimugu stated.

He added that the regulator would investigate the incidents and take action in line with the 2023 NCAA regulations.

“The NCAA, as the sole regulatory agency for civil aviation in Nigeria, remains committed to protecting the rights of all stakeholders,” he said.