Air Peace has defended the recent spate of flight delays and cancellations, citing a steadfast commitment to passenger safety as its top priority.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, said the disruptions, while inconvenient for travelers, were necessary and made strictly in line with established aviation safety protocols.

“Flight operations will not proceed if weather conditions, technical factors, or operational requirements fall below acceptable safety thresholds,” the airline noted. “We do not delay or cancel flights without valid reasons, and when we do, we bear the brunt financially.”

Air Peace reaffirmed that safety would never be compromised for comfort, speed, or profit. It also dismissed public speculation that the disruptions were due to fleet shortages, insisting that all incidents were operational or safety-related.

The airline cited a specific incident on Friday involving a bird strike during landing in Enugu, which damaged one of its aircraft engines. The affected aircraft was immediately grounded, triggering a cascade of delays on subsequent routes it was scheduled to serve.

“This grounding was done in full compliance with safety protocol,” the statement said.

Air Peace also acknowledged the role of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority in promoting higher standards and expressed appreciation for the regulator’s efforts to ensure global safety compliance in domestic aviation.

The clarification follows a meeting between Air Peace management and NCAA officials, convened after a surge in passenger complaints over delayed or cancelled flights.