Society Editor
By Tolu Adesuwa Igiehon
Flight operations of Air Peace were disrupted on Thursday after one of the airline’s aircraft was involved in a bird strike incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Omagwa.
The incident, which occurred in the morning, affected an aircraft operating the Lagos–Port Harcourt route and led to delays across the airline’s network.
Confirming the development, Air Peace spokesperson, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, said the aircraft struck a bird while arriving at the Port Harcourt airport, forcing it to be withdrawn from service for compulsory safety and technical checks.
According to her, aviation regulations require that any aircraft involved in a bird strike must undergo detailed inspections before it can return to operation, a process that inevitably impacted scheduled flights.
“The affected aircraft has been grounded in line with standard safety procedures, and this resulted in delays on several routes as adjustments were made to protect passengers and ensure full regulatory compliance,” she explained.
Bird strikes remain a recurring challenge for local airlines, with industry estimates indicating that Nigerian carriers lose more than ₦20 billion annually to such incidents due to repairs, delays and operational disruptions.
Only last week, United Nigeria Airlines suspended parts of its operations after an Airbus A320 experienced a bird strike while approaching the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. In that case, the aircraft had flown from Asaba, Delta State, and reportedly ingested two birds during landing preparations.
Osifo-Whiskey described the Port Harcourt incident as unexpected but unavoidable, stressing that immediate action was taken to safeguard passengers and crew.
She added that another aircraft was deployed to transport passengers on affected flights, while engineers carried out the necessary checks on the grounded aircraft.
The airline apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused, assuring them that safety considerations would always take precedence over maintaining flight schedules.
“We sincerely regret the disruption to our passengers’ travel plans. While bird strikes are largely beyond the control of airlines, we remain committed to taking all necessary precautions to ensure the highest safety standards,” she said.
Air Peace reaffirmed its commitment to safe operations, noting that thorough inspections and adherence to aviation safety protocols would continue to guide its decisions, even when such measures result in operational delays.
