Air Peace has attributed the cancellation of its Abuja-Maiduguri flight on Saturday to aviation fuel shortage in Abuja and a subsequent restriction on operations at the Maiduguri airport.

The airline said the initial delays to its Abuja operations were caused by the unavailability of Jet A1 aviation fuel, which also affected other airlines operating from the airport.

It added that the situation improved after fuel became available and affected flights resumed, but its Abuja-Maiduguri service could not operate after the Maiduguri control tower withdrew an earlier extension for the flight to arrive beyond sunset.

Air Peace disclosed this in a statement following videos and reports of passengers expressing frustration over the disruption at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Why the flight was cancelled

According to the airline, the Maiduguri flight was initially expected to operate after the delay in Abuja operations had been resolved.

It said the control tower at the Maiduguri airport had initially granted an extension for the flight to arrive, but later, around the time passengers were being called for boarding, informed the airline that the airport had become subject to visual flight rules and would no longer operate beyond sunset.

Visual flight rules, or VFR, generally require pilots to operate with specified visual conditions rather than relying on instrument flight procedures.

Air Peace said the change meant it could no longer operate the Abuja-Maiduguri service as planned.

The airline noted that it subsequently cancelled the flight and made arrangements to accommodate the affected passengers in a hotel.

It added that arrangements had been made to operate the flight the following day.

Passengers’ rights

The disruption comes amid increased scrutiny of flight delays and cancellations in Nigeria, as well as of how airlines handle passengers when services are disrupted.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recorded 7,961 domestic flights in August, of which 4,765 were delayed, and 36 were cancelled.

Air Peace accounted for 1,330 of the delayed flights in the NCAA’s dataset, representing 71.4 per cent of the 1,864 flights recorded for the airline.

The airline, however, disputed the figures, saying it operated 2,564 flights during the month and that more than 700 flights were not captured in the NCAA data. It also said only 391 of its delayed flights were caused by factors within its operations.

The latest disruption also comes days after the NCAA directed Air Peace to prepare a compensation package for passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight.

The regulator said its preliminary investigation found that the airline had sent passengers the wrong notification about the rescheduled flight.

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Under the NCAA’s Part 19 regulations, airlines have obligations to passengers during delays and cancellations, including providing information and assistance within specified circumstances. For domestic flights, passengers are entitled to refreshments after a two-hour delay, while longer disruptions can trigger reimbursement, rerouting, accommodation, and, in qualifying circumstances, compensation.

The NCAA has also repeatedly stressed the importance of timely information and passenger care during disruptions.

Air Peace’s response

Air Peace said passengers affected by Saturday’s disruption were informed about the delays and provided with refreshments.

Following the cancellation, the airline said the affected passengers were provided with hotel accommodation and that arrangements were being made for the flight to operate the next day.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our esteemed passengers and appreciate their patience and understanding,” the airline said.

It added that the safety and well-being of passengers remained its priority.