An Air Peace flight scheduled to operate a direct service from Lagos to Gatwick, London, was delayed on Friday night after passengers had already boarded the aircraft, with the airline later citing technical issues.
Passengers on the London-bound flight, initially scheduled to depart at 11:40 p.m., were eventually disembarked shortly after midnight and informed that the journey had been rescheduled to Saturday morning.
Findings by LEADERSHIP revealed that the delay followed the discovery of a maintenance issue on the aircraft after boarding had been completed.
Some passengers who spoke to LEADERSHIP also claimed they were informed that the flight would make a stop in Abuja to pick up additional travellers because the flight was not fully booked for a direct operation to Gatwick.
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The development created confusion among passengers, many of whom had expected a non-stop flight from Lagos to London.
Air Peace officials reportedly assured passengers that the aircraft would depart by 10 a.m. on Saturday after the issue had been resolved.
However, the management of Air Peace, stated that after completing passengers boarding, a routine post-boarding technical check identified a minor aircraft fault that required immediate attention.
According to the statement, in line with the global aviation standards, the aircraft was promptly withdrawn from service and passengers safely disembarked.
"Air Peace wishes to sincerely inform our valued passengers and the general public of a temporary disruption to today's scheduled Lagos-London Gatwick service. All affected passengers were immediately informed and provided with support, including hotel accommodation and other necessary assistance to ensure their comfort.
"To minimise further disruption, a replacement aircraft from London will be dispatched and passengers are scheduled to depart this morning.
"We deeply appreciate the patience, understanding, and cooperation shown by our passengers during this period. Their trust remains incredibly important to us," The statement stated.
