LAGOS, Nigeria — Air Peace is counting its losses after its Airbus A320 sustained significant damage on the ground at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 on Tuesday when a baggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) crashed into the aircraft’s engine, rendering it unserviceable.
The airline said in a statement that the incident occurred shortly after the aircraft completed Flight P47427 from Kano and passengers had safely disembarked. According to Air Peace, the impact tore into the aircraft, rendering it totally unserviceable.
Daily Sun confirmed from an industry source that the operator of the equipment slumped while driving the vehicle, losing control before it crashed into the aircraft. The operator is said to be currently receiving treatment at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria clinic.
Air Peace said the damaged aircraft had been scheduled to operate multiple flights across its network in the coming days and warned that the disruption would lead to delays and cancellations as it works to adjust its fleet deployment to absorb the loss of the aircraft.
The airline apologised to affected passengers, saying its operations and customer service teams were working to minimise inconvenience by offering alternative arrangements and support to those impacted. It also added that it is collaborating with NAHCO and relevant aviation authorities to investigate the circumstances of the incident to prevent a recurrence.
“Air Peace Limited confirms that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft sustained significant damage on the ground today at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, Lagos, after a Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 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. The ground handling equipment belonging to and operated by NAHCO tore into the aircraft and, as such, rendering the aircraft totally unserviceable,” the statement read in part.
“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. We sincerely apologise to our esteemed 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.”
