Air Peace has warned that some of its domestic flight operations may be affected after one of its Airbus A320 aircraft suffered severe damage while parked at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, Lagos.
The airline disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the aircraft was forced out of service after a baggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) struck one of its engines.
According to Air Peace, the incident happened shortly after the aircraft completed Flight P47427 from Kano on Tuesday night, with all passengers safely disembarking before the collision occurred.
The airline recalled that a similar incident involving NAHCO equipment damaged one of its aircraft on December 26, 2025.
Air Peace said the latest damage left the aircraft “totally unserviceable,” requiring adjustments to its flight schedule as the affected aircraft had been assigned to operate several services within its network in the coming days.
The carrier warned that passengers could experience delays, while some flights might be cancelled as it works to minimise the impact through fleet adjustments.
The airline said, “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, rendered the aircraft totally unserviceable.”
The airline explained that the incident had affected its operations because the damaged aircraft was scheduled to handle multiple flights over the next few days.
“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,” the statement read.
READ ALSO: FCCPC Hails Court Victory As Air Peace Suit Dismissed
Air Peace apologised to passengers who may face changes to their travel plans, assuring them that its operations and customer service teams were working to provide alternatives and reduce inconvenience.
The statement further read, “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,” the airline stated.
It added, “At Air Peace, the safety of our passengers, crew, and equipment remains our highest priority. We are working closely with the relevant ground handling company and aviation authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and prevent a recurrence.
“We appreciate the patience, understanding, and continued support of our valued customers as we diligently manage the operational challenges arising from this incident.”
As of press time, NAHCO had not responded to the incident, as calls and messages sent to the company’s publicist, Tayo Ajakaye, were not answered.