You Are Tarnishing Our Reputation, Air Peace tells NCAA as Flight Delay Figures Cause Uproar in Aviation Sector

By John Paul
The controversy over flight delays in Nigeria’s aviation sector has deepened, with Air Peace accusing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) of publishing inaccurate figures that unfairly portray the airline as responsible for widespread disruptions in August 2026.

Air Peace, in a strongly worded statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, rejected the NCAA’s August flight disruption report, alleging that errors in the regulator’s data had inflated its delay figures and could damage the airline’s reputation.

The airline said it operated 2,564 flights during the month, rather than the 1,864 flights reportedly captured by the NCAA.

According to Air Peace, the omission of more than 700 flights distorted the statistical base used in assessing its performance and consequently produced what it described as misleading delay percentages.

The carrier also questioned why the NCAA released detailed August figures only 13 days after the end of the month when, according to the airline, comparable monthly data for July had not been similarly published.

“Why was this report published rapidly without identifying the causes of the delays attributed to individual airlines instead of publishing wrong figures that could tarnish the reputation of the airline despite prevailing operational challenges?” Air Peace asked.

The airline maintained that its internal review showed that only 391 flights — which it put at 15 per cent of its August operations — suffered delays attributable to factors within its control.

It said those internally generated disruptions arose mainly from technical issues requiring unscheduled maintenance and fuel-related challenges.

Air Peace argued that the bulk of the disruptions resulted from circumstances beyond its control, including airport congestion, poor airport facilities, bad weather, bird strikes, union action, and damage to one of its aircraft by a ground-handling company.

According to the airline, airport and air traffic congestion alone accounted for more than 51 per cent of the external delays it recorded, with aircraft sometimes forced to remain on the ground or in holding patterns because of capacity constraints.

It singled out a bird strike involving one of its aircraft, 5N-BYG, in Abuja, saying the incident damaged the aircraft’s inlet cowl and cost about $1.8 million to repair.

Air Peace said the aircraft normally operated at least eight sectors daily and transported about 1,000 passengers, but was grounded for more than a week until the damaged component was replaced.

The airline said the temporary loss of the aircraft created significant disruption across its network.

It also blamed adverse weather during the rainy season for diversions and safety holds, arguing that a single diversion could trigger delays lasting several hours and disrupt subsequent rotations.

Air Peace further cited what it described as unprecedented picketing by aviation union members on August 11, saying the effects of the industrial action lingered for more than 14 days and resulted in flight cancellations, rescheduling, and delays.

Another aircraft, it said, was damaged by a ground-handling company and consequently removed from service for more than two weeks.

“The narrative that Air Peace is primarily responsible for these delays is completely false,” the airline said, insisting that most disruptions experienced by its passengers were caused by external factors.

Air Peace said it had previously refrained from publicly detailing the circumstances behind the disruptions but decided to respond because it had been “pushed beyond acceptable limits.”

The airline said it had invested heavily in aircraft, crew availability, training and maintenance, while acknowledging that it must continue improving its own processes.

It, however, argued that no airline could safely circumvent airport congestion, infrastructure deficiencies, sunset restrictions or adverse weather.

Air Peace consequently called on the NCAA to review and audit its data-collection methodology and ensure that future performance reports distinguish delays caused by airlines from those arising from wider aviation-system constraints.

The airline said such differentiation was necessary to provide passengers with a more accurate picture of airline performance and prevent carriers from being blamed for disruptions over which they have little or no control.